


The Judge of Souls

by ibeta



Series: Judge Sans, Belovedly Named [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Chroma Sans, Fanart, Judge!Sans, M/M, Mature for Seeing a Soul, Papyrus Stalking His Brother's Secret Identity, Sans Trying To Hide His Secret Identity, Secret Identity, Secret-Keeper Sans, Thoughtful Sans, Time and Space Stuff, Very Weird Jealousy, obvious hints
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:07:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 66,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8577964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibeta/pseuds/ibeta
Summary: Sans has been the Royal Judge for a long time. It kind of started when he fell into Gaster's experiment. Luckily, he had also been the Royal Judge at that time and he had saved himself.   It was complicated.Then, he continued on with his life with so many jobs and one brother to keep him merciful. The Royal Judge one moment and Sans the next. Sometimes both.And now, Papyrus turned the Royal Judge into a mission. They had UNKNOWN stats, no known gender, no known relatives, no known anything! It was such a curiosity! He would do anything to be their friend, even spy on them!If only Papyrus could leave it be, maybe the Judge could relax. Maybe Papyrus would stop asking questions. Maybe he would stop following them around.But Papyrus starts to see the Judge in a different light, and Sans may notice it before his brother does.If only Sans could stop looking nervous each time Papyrus needed his help.*Starts with an Asgore and Toriel third-person P.O.V.





	1. A History

**Author's Note:**

> ibeta's tumblr: [ibeta.tumblr.com/](https://ibeta.tumblr.com/)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgore remembers the Judge's stats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* I drew something for a design...

When monsters were born, they were given a name by someone who loves them so much. If they happened to be parents of the monster, then they both agree to one name to give the child. If the child had no one to name them, they live without a name until the time someone (who loves them so much) names them.

Once the name is chosen, they are brought to the current Monarch and the Judge. The Monarch and the Judge will be the witness of a naming, with the Monarch to learn the name of their newest subject. The Judge will learn the magic that resides within the child, and will know if the child is fully loved within their family.

The Monarch will give the new family an amount of gold to start preparing for their child's continued growth, and the Judge would be the one to tell the monster parents what special qualities the child may have in order to prepare the monster parents.

If the Monarch is with a child, the Judge will act as witness and continue to give their observations to the Monarch.

There are little rules changed with each Monarch. When Toriel had been born, her Monarch parents named her and agreed to one name. The Judge witnessed, and then shared their wisdom. Afterwards, the Judge procured the amount of gold for Toriel.

When Asgore had been born, his grandmother had named him. His two mothers loved him very much, but his grandmother thought of him the whole world and cherished each of his little shy smiles.

When Toriel proposed to Asgore, the Judge acted as witness to their wedding, and the Monarchs appointed them as acting Monarchs when they were away with the human leaders. The Judge had been there for the ceremony and watched them under a dark hood.

Asgore remembered it so clearly.

The Judge had worn a simple dark cloak over their normal attire, along with a smooth, ivory mask with holes for eyes and a permanent grin etched thinly on the lower part of its face. It had glowing lines of Justice magic that started from the top of their mask, cut by the holes and continuing down towards the tips of the grin, ending towards the bottom edge of the mask.

The Judge had worn their normal pair of elbow-length gloves (the one they said they favoured because of the multiple straps that held it close to their clothes) over the sleeves of their coat-sleeves. Along with his gloves came the matching pair of strapped boots, also worn over the pants-sleeves. Every piece of clothing hid everything but the Judge's magic... the two circular yellow magic coming from the dark holes of their mask.

The Judge had dressed nearly symmetrically.

(Asgore had found it profoundly relieving, because there had been one day that the Judge visited the gardens, and they had been dressed in a completely mismatched pattern of green-cyan-blue and red-orange-yellow colorations of their normal attire. The lights on the ivory mask had cyan and orange on each side. The Judge had made their eyes glow cyan and orange for the rest of their stay and the rest of their time of judgement. Their cloak had been dark and starry, completed with a large nebula with a cyan-blue center and surrounded by wisps of orange-yellow.

Toriel had found it complementary and adorable. Asgore could not tear his eyes from the Judge the moment he visited because their clothes were unbelievably eye-catching. The dog-monster guards, however, found it very useful. The yellow and blue from the Judge's clothes made them easier to find.)

When the Judge had congratulated them for their new status, Asgore had to ask.

He thought of what to start with. He needed to start innocently, then slyly input the knowledge he wanted to know. Toriel had him practicing for weeks. The Judge would not know until they were trapped.

"Our mysterious Judge... for so long, you have been serving as a symbol of reconciliation and redemption in the kingdom. I have been extremely curious... were you the one to witness my naming?"

The Judge's eyes glowed a mirthful, knowing yellow. "Oh, little Asgore. I remembered your little horns just peeking from little tufts of fur. You grabbed the neckline of your gran's clothes and nearly ripped her poor dress from your excitement for yellow. Luckily, your mothers stopped you right on time."

Asgore had flushed with mortification as Toriel, who had appeared by his side, giggled shamelessly. "Asgore's mothers had said so, too! I remember them telling me that Asgore liked grabbing all the buttercups from their garden. Sometimes, even just a hint of yellow would be enough for him to starts grabbing."

The Judge had nodded at Toriel. "I remember," the Judge had then turned to him. Asgore had paled under his fur at the whiteness of their magic. "When you were handed to me, I'd been so scared that I'd support your small body in the wrong way, but you only nearly ripped my mask when I had my Justice magic working, and after that little mishap, I had to use a different nuance of green magic to continue with the proceedings. Your mothers and gran were a little... embarrassed. I told them it was fine, that it wasn't that difficult to change my magic, but they gifted me a whole pie of butterscotch-cinnamon the next day, one that I shared with the current Monarchs."

Asgore had cleared his throat, flushing red with inescapable embarrassment. "Ah... I have heard of it, but I thought my mothers were kidding."

Toriel had burst into giggles suddenly, and the Judge chuckled. They had done so in unison. It had left him alone in confusion.

Asgore had smiled sheepishly. "What is it, this time?"

The Judge had seemed to glow with mirth, and they clasped their gloved hands under their mask. "Was that a pun, Asgore?"

Toriel had waved a gloved paw excitedly. "I never knew this punny side of you, Asgore!"

The Judge had laughed that time, shoulders shaking with each breath. Asgore had startled, but then realized that if the Judge had recognized a pun, then they must have a... punny sense of humor.

"I was not, but I suppose I have to be... punnier, to bring out laughter from the two of you."

Toriel and the Judge had shared their mirth with breathless laughs. After a while, Toriel had stopped, beaming gently at the Judge.

"I hope you do not mind, but my curiosity is piqued! I am very curious about your stats, our Judge."

The Judge had stopped laughing. Asgore had seen a small flash of white in the Judge's yellow magic. They had tilted their head to a side, and then their magic-infused eyes glowed an overpowering yellow of Justice. Asgore and Toriel had winced at the brightness.

Just as it had glowed powerfully enough to light a small village, the yellow settled into white.

"So many Monarchs shied away from knowing my stats." Toriel had smiled sadly. Asgore had released a pensive breath. "It made me feel a little bo – ah, um, lonely when they asked others for their permission... nevertheless, I'll give the two of you permission. Maybe just this once."

Toriel and Asgore had engaged the Judge, together.

**CHECK.**

The name and stats that Asgore had wanted to find out... well. He had not exactly found out.

 **THE JUDGE OF SOULS**  
**UNNAMED/UNKNOWN**  
**LV UNKNOWN**  
**HP UNKNOWN**  
**ATK UNKNOWN**  
**DEF UNKNOWN**  
**EXP UNKNOWN**

 *** IT IS THE MYSTERIOUS JUDGE OF SOULS**  
*** APPOINTED BY [A SYMBOL OF A CIRCLE WITH TWO WINGS].**  
*** THE JUDGE SEEMS TO RECOGNIZE TORIEL AND ASGORE FROM THEIR NAMING CEREMONY.**

**MERCY. SPARE.**

"Oh, my," Toriel had exclaimed in a whisper. Then she continued to say what Asgore had wanted to point out. "Our Judge, you... you are  _unnamed_?"

The Judge had lifted a shoulder, nodding. "I was told that someone else would name me," they added quietly with a hint of deep adoration. "I was told something else, but I'd rather not say what had been said."

"That is quite..." Asgore had to search for words. He had glanced helplessly at Toriel, who offered him a reassuring smile.

"That is quite a mysterious tale!" Toriel had said in excitement. "Very fitting for our mysterious Judge!"

The Judge had seemed to brighten from her words alone. "I just have to wait." A flash of cyan had blinked in their glowing eyes and settled back to yellow. "Sooner or later, I'll be named. I just need to wait for them. I'm known to be patient... I know I'll be named."

The Judge had murmured similar words under their breath and excused themselves. They had been absent throughout the ceremony, only coming back a day later to apologize for their disappearance.

The Judge's eyes had been dim with knowledge, had been empty of magic. It had reminded Asgore of a deep abyss that consumed light as it continued further into the darkness.

"There's something wrong with the magic in the air. Something important will happen. A large change." Just then, the Judge's eyes had glowed a weak white. "I just don't understand why it has to happen. It's really bad. It's going to shake foundations!"

"Then," Asgore had held his chin high. He had gripped Toriel's trembling hand and gazed at the fire in her eyes. "We will face them. Together."

The Judge had still remained pensive, but they nodded nonetheless. "Be careful. Stay strong and united. Don't allow yourselves to be separated by circumstance or heavy decisions. The monsterkind will need to see the Monarchs united."

"We will do our best," Toriel had firmly said.

•••

After the birth of their newborn, who Tori had decided to name Asriel, they went to the Judge and they saw the way the Judge stiffened in pleasant surprise.

"The little one's SOUL has the potential for Determination and Justice magic," the Judge had mused, though still tense. "And this link... hmm. Queen Toriel shall name the child," the Judge had said.

Asgore had felt the sweat at the back of his nape when Tori stared at him with searching eyes. He had thought that his love for his child consumed him, but Asgore had also noticed that he mostly heard the voice of his people more than he could give his attention to his beloved child. He had never felt so ashamed and proud at the same time.

Tori had smiled gently in understanding, squeezing her paw in his gloved ones. "I'll love him four times more for the both of us." She had turned to the Judge and beamed. "I want to name the child Asriel," she had replied in delight. "A little of both of the Monarchs to remind Asriel that they are loved."

The Judge's eyes had glowed a bright yellow. "Let him be free of the opinions of others. Try not letting anyone to make him hear one voice. Make him hear all, make him learn with the monsterkind and humankind. Trust may be his greatest strength, but a seed of doubt may lead him to follow a path not his to travel."

"Oh, he's a  _boy_!" Tori had gasped, completely disregarding the ominous words the Judge had said about their child.

The Judge had stared at her with widened eyes of magic, and then they had turned to him, a judging of a different kind.

"Asriel is born from magic." Asgore had chuckled nervously. The Judge's shoulders started to tremble. "We didn't want to know until we named him."

The Judge's brilliant yellow magic had bloomed across the walls of the Hall of Judgement, and the Judge burst with laughter. Tori and Asgore had stared in surprise. Never had they seen the Judge used their magic for any purpose... it had also been the first time they saw the intricate runes glowing on the wall.

"Asriel would have been great with any gender," the Judge had agreed.

Tori had walked towards a wall with Asriel in her arms, tracing a paw over one symbol with dazed eyes. "What are these?" Tori had inquired politely.

The Judge had stilled with tension, and then relaxed when they turned to Tori. Asgore had narrowed his eyes at the actions and noted that it had been... odd.

"Oh, the runes. That. Ah... How to place in this language..." The Judge had trailed off, and then mumbled words that made the walls light up with different shades of magic.

Tori had taken a step back, eyes bright with awe at the multitudes of colour blooming from each unknown word said.

"It's beautiful... Oh, Judge, it's so beautiful!"

The Judge had hummed and twisted a glove hand in a circle. The magic had trickled to the floor and the ceiling, across the pillars and the gems lit up with various shades of magic.

"The Castle was built by the First Winged Monarch to honour the three stations of hierarchy. The different magic glowing in this room is a result from various magical nuances that helped create everything that is the castle. It's what also helps me change quickly the shades of my magic in the first place. The first Monarch is the Monarch of Power, the one that leads all. To battle, to change, to bring their subjects to learn or simply be productive. If they notice their subjects need hope, they plan an action that would lead them to higher hopes."

The Judge had glanced at him in a pointed manner. Asgore had thought that it was surprising that it was not Toriel that was a symbol of power, but then the Judge continued.

"The second is the Monarch of Heart, the one that may soothe the hearts of the subjects and listen to their voices opinions. They are the ones that have a natural magic that feels warm, and... tender with unconditional love." The Judge had looked away, their voice changing to a lighter, airy tone. "And the third is the Monarch of Judgement."

Asgore's eyes had widened in shock. Tori had gasped and covered her mouth from the revelation. The Judge continued on as if they heard nothing, their eyes of magic focuses up at the ceiling, where symbols from his attire mimicked the symbols of the ceiling.

"They allow all SOULs, monster or otherwise, to be judge in order to keep the balance of the world. Too much death and the world will burn; too much life and the world will overflow. They may weigh the SOULs filled with Level Of ViolencE and EXecution Points, and only they have the ability to... read SOULs so uniquely in a way that they know which SOUL needs mercy, or which needs karmic retribution. They may also be called the Monarch of Secrets, the one that keeps close all judgements made, all voices heard, all secrets revealed."

 _Secrets... what secrets do you keep?_  Asgore had thought to himself. He had not known any of this history of the monsterkind. Tori's parents had barely known anything relating to the Judge being a third Monarch, or anything regarding Monarchs of Power or Heart.

Then the Judge had said a word that came out as magic seeping from their glowing eyes. "The Monarch of Judgement and Secrets, that's kind of my role. Sometimes, they use my powers of karmic retribution to make a list of high LOVE humans, back when they hunted us. Because I can know what no one wants to know, what everyone wants to keep away, and I know that there's trouble coming, but only whispers come, and those whispers die after they revealed their secrets."

•••

A tragedy had happened. Dust had been everywhere, all over towns, all over the forests and the wind. Monsters had been dusted when sighted by a human. If a human had helped them escape, the monster and human were murdered. Any human that could help were saved, but some of them had been killed by a binding magic from a human mage.

Seven human mages murdered monsterkind for power, and then they drove them all into a mountain and created a powerful barrier with their own SOULs. They had died with the highest LOVE and EXP. They had used the Monarch SOULs for that, Asgore had suspected.

The monsterkind had been trapped underground. Many monsters cried out in grief. Their families had been ruthlessly murdered. Their hands had been forced to protect. Their magic felt tainted by the twisted cruelty of the humans.

As new Monarchs, Tori and Asgore fought all fears with words of reassurance, action and positivity. They fought anger with cool logic, fought hatred with love and hope, and fought grief with time to mourn.

Asriel had been a little neglected, but then Tori had brought him everywhere, and people saw him as a symbol of new life. A new change. A new reason for living. Asriel filled them with determination.

The Judge had also become a saving grace. They offered an ear to the voices of the monsterkind that had to kill to defend their families that had to suffer under their bloodstained hands. They offered their judgements. They offered their wisdom.

Then, years later... a human had fallen.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mistakes all mine. What do you think?
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr stuff](www.ibeta.tumblr.com/)


	2. In Her Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toriel loved Chara very much. She wished she had listened to the Judge about their suspicions.
> 
> If only she hadn't pushed him away.
> 
> But she made a new friend behind the doors of the Ruins.
> 
> (Not that she knew it was also the Judge.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello angst, your best friend in Undertale past memories. 
> 
> Warning contains character death of the regular characters. You will finally have another hint as to how Sans has been the Judge for so long, and a super-duper large hint that Papyrus had been named by Sans.

There were times when Chara had woken up from a nightmare, crying out in pain and grief, perhaps crying out for help. Toriel had witnessed one of the nightmares once and it had filled her heart with so much pain that she couldn't protect her child from dreams.

It had made her feel helpless. Toriel could protect Chara from anything else, but not from something she could never touch. Asriel had mentioned one time that Chara liked hugs after nightmare, but only if it was Asriel. Chara did not like it if someone larger than Asriel offered them a hug of comfort after a nightmare.

Asgore and Toriel had been distraught to learn that their human child could not find comfort in their arms. They wanted to, but Chara refused, firmly and desperately.

Something had happened on the surface that made Chara wary. Chara did not want to hurt them. Chara wanted them happy, but only if they never gave a hug after a nightmare. Something about a larger person grabbing Chara made it difficult to sleep or act like normal.

The last time Asgore had hugged Chara after a nightmare, the next few weeks... Chara had been empty-eyed. It had been as if Chara's SOUL had withdrawn inwardly, body copying motions, smile frozen and outwardly... as if Chara had become a doll.

Toriel had glared at Asgore for the entirety of the time, ashamed that he had disregarded Asriel's knowledge of Chara. Asgore had confessed to be extremely apologetic of his actions, but none of it made a difference.

The Judge had visited one day, however, and Asriel greeted them warmly, openly excited to learn about their work. Chara had become silent, watching Asriel, her red eyes filled with determination. Toriel had seen them enough times to know Chara was preparing to do something brave.

Chara had approached slowly, then she stood before the Judge, and the Judge's mask lines suddenly lit up in a deep red glow. The Judge's eyes glowed a brilliant gold, somehow expressing confusion despite their mask's permanent grin. Chara's eyes had widened in disbelief and she had frozen, body stiff with surprise.

"Hello, who are you?" The Judge had touched the red line glowing on their mask, and the colour disappeared. Toriel saw Chara blink in confusion.

"I... I'm Chara," she had mumbled hesitantly, offering her hand.

The Judge had nodded, and then said, "I'm the Judge. I don't have a name, so you can call me... the Judge!" Chara giggled timidly. Then surprisingly, the Judge had reached a hand forward and shook their clasped hands.

Chara had smiled shyly. "Hello, Judge!"

"Hi, Chara." They had both expressed delight when they continued their human... handshake. Toriel had shaken her head with fondness. "It has been a while since I've had my hand shaken. I thought no one knew about it, but I suppose an expert like you would know!"

"That's silly," Chara had replied, eyes wide with earnestness. She had looked up at the Judge. Only then Toriel had realized the Judge was taller than her human child... and she had just kept shaking their hand after a nightmare. "Monsters should have a handshake. So you could all have greetings like it. Asriel likes handshakes. He likes holding my hand, too."

Asriel had beamed with pride. "It's true! Handshakes and holding hands are good!"

"Holding hands is a grand way to spend time together," the Judge had replied. "It also gives us the sense of unity with each other. If you're angry at each other? Try holding hands. If you're sad, try holding hands! If you're happy...?" The Judge had trailed off, their right eye disappearing in a wink.

"Holding hands!" Chara and Asriel had chorused, before breaking into sweet little giggles. The Judge had nodded eagerly, obviously having forgotten Toriel in the proceedings.

Toriel had covered her muzzle and smiled. Her sweet, determined Chara! She had found a way around hugs through handshakes!

"Now, Asriel," the Judge had called, motioning their free hand. "Come here. Grab my other hand and shake it, too! This is an important lesson to learn." Asriel had giggled at the Judge, then he ran forward and grabbed the Judge's other hand. The Judge and her two children had continued shaking hands. The Judge had been snickering all the while.

"This is silly," Asriel had laughed. "W-why are we doing this?" Chara had laughed alongside with them, unrestrained by burdens of a nightmare...

' _Because it had been forgotten_ ,' Toriel had realized.

"Because I have never had a double handshake with two people! And also..."

Toriel then had learned that the moment Chara had reached a hand forward when they had met her, she should have done the same as the Judge. She should have shaken their hand to introduce herself. She hadn't recognized the human gesture. Her children's laughter and giggles, so freely expressed... it had filled her with a sense of longing. She had found a way to help her child, after all, and it had been from the way the Judge had kept shaking their hands.

"... because I like hearing you laugh," the Judge had finished quite sheepishly. "It reminds me of..." the Judge had trailed off, and then sighed.  "Well, it reminds me of a lot of things."

(Toriel had felt that there was always something that the Judge kept so tightly to their soul. The Judge had kept so many secrets of the monsterkind, most specially the judgements they had overseen. Sometimes, Toriel had seen them walking down the Judgement Hall, the eyes of their mask dark without the magic, head tilted down, covered by a hood. Their white cloak had turned black, and it had a bright glowing nebula of magic spinning slowly across the back, surrounded by stars. It was shaded with a dark cyan in the centre, surrounded by warm wisps of orange that tinged yellow and green when it touched the cyan. The Judge had looked calm, but Toriel had been worried that the Judge's work had been too heavy.)

Asriel and Chara had cheered loudly when the Judge suddenly switched hands to shake. Chara had a large smile on her face and Asriel's delight and pride for his sibling had been blinding.

"This is fun," the Judge had begun, and somehow they expressed mischief through their mask. "But you know what else is fun?"

Asriel had tilted his head in curiosity. "What else is fun than handshakes?"

"Floating handshakes!"

Suddenly, a blue glow of magic had surrounded her children, and Toriel had nearly swallowed her tongue in surprise. Chara had gasped loudly in awe, along with Asriel, when they both started floating upwards. The Judge's gloved hands had also been glowing with the same shade of magic. It had been something she had never seen the Judge utilized. The Judge had always kept their magical use on their attire.

"I... it feels like I'm so light!" Chara had exclaimed with excitement. She had let go of the Judge's hand, but she still continued to float. "Like I'm the air!" She had twirled in circles, doing silly poses and making faces at Asriel. Asriel had made silly faces back, grinning when Chara had stuck her tongue out.

Then, Chara had floated over to Asriel and taken his hand. Asriel had let go of the Judge's hand and they spun around in the living room, giggling and laughing at each other. Toriel had mellowed in her SOUL, filled with so much hope and love for her children. The sight of them had her sighing quietly in relief.

"Then... how about... standing on the  _ceiling_!"

Toriel's children had squealed when they were suddenly brought to the ceiling. They were flat on their back, their faces plastered with stunned amazement. The Judge had told them to try standing up, and they did. They had been standing on her ceiling. Their eyes had both widened when they saw Toriel watching them with a fond smile.

"Mom, look!" Asriel had exclaimed, jumping... up and down. From her ceiling. Toriel had laughed with encouragement. Chara had beamed with happiness.

"That is quite a state you found yourself in!" Toriel had said, offering them both a proud smile. "And would you look at that... you're already doing so great! I would have felt so dizzy if I'd started walking on the ceiling."

The Judge had then turned and the permanent grin had finally seemed true to her, because the Judge had waved a glowing hand, and the blue magic surrounded her. Toriel had gasped when it was her turn to float gently to the ceiling. The blue magic surrounding her made it feel as if she had been standing upright, but her vision had been telling her otherwise.

"Oh my, this is certainly alarming!" The Judge only laughed at her.

"It helps if you close your eyes, Mom!" Chara had called out giddily. Toriel had closed her eyes in reply, knowing the Judge would not harm her or her children. "That's it! Let's see if we can get to Mom, Asriel!"

It had been a wonderful day. Her children had enjoyed their time with the Judge's visit and Toriel had learned to walk on her own ceiling. Chara had demanded that the Judge visit them again, and they agreed to visit on their free time.

"It would be nice to visit again," the Judge had said, tone of their voice wistful. The Judge had been standing at the doorway, magic eyes glowing a gentle white. "It was fun. Tell them to visit my office some time. There's something worrying about Chara's SOUL."

Toriel had suddenly been filled with worry. She had wringed her paws and asked what might be wrong.

The Judge had paused. For long moment, Toriel had a sinking feeling in her heart that her Chara was... falling down. Chara's nightmares had caused her so much pain... Toriel had heard those kinds of dreams felt so realistic.

"Chara has bad dreams," the Judge stated clinically. Toriel had nodded in confirmation and the Judge continued. "They have night terrors, actually. Night terrors are worse than nightmares. With nightmares, you wake up and it's fine. With night terrors..." the Judge trailed off in a pensive tone, and then they turned to her. The Judge's mask seemed darker under the light of the royal chambers. "Toriel, children like Chara... if they have night terrors, they should be surrounded by reassurance that they are safe. Make sure you don't trigger them by accident. A little glimpse of an event that reminds them of the bad memory might trigger them into... desperate coping measures. Some cases, even only one thing could set them off and they could..."

The Judge had sighed heavily, obviously having seen Toriel's guilty look. The Judge had always been so observant, and Toriel knew that hiding anything from the Judge would be imprudent. "Asgore had attempted to hug Chara after a nightmare. Asriel had told us that only someone of the same size as him could safely hug her. After that, Chara had been... empty."

"Then Chara's trust in Asgore is broken," the Judge had stated with a heavy finality. Toriel had felt a crushing guilt fill her SOUL. If she had just stopped Asgore from running into Chara's room... maybe Chara would not have been so... empty.

"Try not to blame yourself, little Tori," the Judge had said gently, patting a hand on her shoulder. Toriel had felt tears of frustration in her eyes, because who else was to blame? She and Asgore had been the one to adopt the child. They had the duties of a parent to keep their child safe, but one of them had already damaged that fragile trust that Chara had for them.

The Judge had noticed her tears, so the Judge had pulled her in their arms, and their whole attire had immediately glowed a bright, warm yellow of Justice. Toriel had cried silently, wiping a paw on her cheeks and feeling foolishly like a child. She had thought that Chara had been all right, that she had forgiven Asgore's mistake, and that Chara was not hurting. She had been convincing herself desperately that each time Chara froze near Asgore, it had been only from surprise.

The Judge allowed her to lean down on their shoulder, rubbing her back in a cordial manner. The Judge had already seen her through her worst. Even as a child, she was always wandering in the castle and accidentally getting lost. She had shed so many tears and thought she would be lost forever, but the Judge had found her during their daily musings. The Judge had expressed their worry through their magic, and they wrapped her up in their starry cloak, telling her stories about the deities that the humans made up to explain magic. The Judge had created so many beautiful scenes with magic, white wisps of light taking the form of different human deities. Some had been dark, some had been light. The Judge had explained that the humans thought of an afterlife, which the Judge had confirmed to be true.

("It's not a secret, really," the Judge had said in a quiet whisper. Toriel had been so fascinated by the image of a walking monster made with white magic that she had nearly missed it. "Monsterkind also has an afterlife. They may turn to dust, and their SOULs may be gone from what we can perceive, but they exist. We turn back into stardust, everything that is us, whole and scattered through the cosmos." The Judge waved their gloved hand, and the white monster scattered into dust, but in beautiful shades of magic. Toriel had gasped, but the Judge had combined white magic with Justice magic, allowing the dust to travel in a uniform fashion, moving like it was still alive... and it seemed so.

"Someone told me that it was really beautiful when monster passed away, because they could clearly see the SOUL be entangled with some kind of tide, uniting together like friends, then interacting lovingly with the universe... They told me that the afterlife allows you different perception of the world, something that we can't comprehend now, and only after life."

All of the Judge's words had blurred together after that. Toriel had fallen asleep in their arms, dreaming of stars and beautiful clouds of magic that danced with purpose.)

"You are a great mother, and I have seen you interact only once. I know you do your very best to respect Chara's space... I see it in the way you reflexively try to make yourself smaller for them. You would sit down, or you would crouch. Anything that would make Chara feel at ease to your size," the Judge had murmured gently, continuing to embrace her warmly. "I think it must have been Asgore's soft heart that made it impossible for him to resist comforting his child. Asgore has always wanted to be there for his children."

Toriel had pulled away, nodding sadly. The Judge had left a glowing, warm cloak of Justice magic around her. It soothed her SOUL. "Asgore has always been so tender-hearted and panicky. Are you sure he's the Monarch of Power?"

The Judge had barked out a startled laugh. Toriel had grinned at the reaction. "Well, he is very determined to unite the monsterkind in action. The Monarchs I knew in the past had loved being able to exchange the title with each other. They were both determined to unite the monsterkind in action, and they both opened their hearts to them. It made them understand each other better. I know that you have the determination to be both, while Asgore seems to be secure in the knowledge that you are the Monarch of Heart."

Toriel had nodded, and the Judge radiated a feeling of tenderness. "I thought I could be," she had admitted. She had. Her private musings had accidentally led her to think of it deeply. She had wanted to know if she could handle being a Monarch without Asgore, and she had just known she could.

"You have the determination to do anything," the Judge had murmured, wiping a stray tear from her furry cheek, making Toriel feel as if she had never grown from being a little girl. "You have a good, loving SOUL, little Toriel. It is something to be admired. To open your heart so welcomingly... I think that is also very brave of you. You remind me of... two previous sibling Monarchs. They felt bonded to each other and never liked being separated from each other for too long. Their strengths and weaknesses balanced well. When they had Fallen, I spread their dust in the air. The Winged Monarch said they saw the stardust combine into one being. The Winged Monarch showed me through magic what it had looked like, and it looked little like you."

Toriel had sniffled, and then she understood what was unmentioned. "Do you think I'm made from their stardust?"

The Judge's glowing eyes dimmed to a soothing white. "They could be. Or, their stardust joined made you, and separately it made them. Who knows what made  _them_? Maybe I was made from a part of them, and maybe even a part of Asgore and yourself!"

Toriel had laughed, because the thought of the Judge being a part of Asgore and herself made it so impossible, then she quieted. "Is... is Chara going to be all right?" Her voice had seemed smaller than Chara's. After her parents had passed, the Judge had been there to ease her grief, reminding her of the beautiful stardust stories of monsters that they had met in the past.

The Judge had stayed still. "Chara... I think they may need your trust to carry them on. I would have analyzed their SOUL after meeting them, but their strongest link... there is nothing grounding them or hold them back. Only Chara will decide what to do. Their SOUL is filled with Determination. If they had magic... it would be powerful."

•••

It had been bad. Chara had accidentally followed the recipe of a pie wrongly and Asgore had been poisoned. Toriel had been filled with doubt, remembering what the Judge had said to her. She had wondered if it had truly been an accident.

A week after the incident, Asriel had approached her timidly. He had mentioned Chara laughing when Asgore had been poisoned. He mentioned feeling bad for not mentioning it sooner, but he had felt that maybe Chara thought it wouldn't have poisoned Asgore as a Boss Monster.

"I thought Chara forgot that buttercups are poisonous," Asriel had begun. "I thought she... um, they. I thought they just imagined Dad being a Boss Monster made them immune."

"Oh, I see." Toriel had ignored a sense of trepidation and continued on. "They?"

Asriel had startled. "Oh, u-um. C-Chara said they didn't feel like a boy or a girl. They said they felt like nothing. So we found a book about monster genders and Chara said they weren't any of them, so they must have no gender. I just found a different pro-pronoun to use so Chara doesn't feel upset about being born with a girl's body."

Toriel had unknowingly been breaking Chara's heart after all. She felt a heavy guilt settle on her shoulders. She hadn't realized that the Judge had known it before she did, only now did she remember the Judge referring to Chara as 'they' or 'them'. She felt like a failure of mother.

"I have to apologize to them," Toriel had replied, feeling ashamed. "All this time... I thought Chara..."

She had assumed that Chara was female.

Asriel had nodded in understanding. "Chara would be so happy!"

That day, the Judge had visited, and they had looked... tense. Toriel had welcomed the Judge, but she had felt numbed. She had told the Judge of Chara's gender, but the Judge already knew. Chara's SOUL had felt so detached from their physical body that it could not connect with their sense of gender.

"Something so bad could have made it happen," the Judge had said. Their ivory mask had seemed to turn grey under the lighting of her chamber. "Chara's SOUL has... so much feeling for humans. I have seen them two days ago and I noticed that they finally trust Asgore again. It was back and much more strongly."

Toriel had mentioned the pie incident and Asriel's confession. The Judge had frozen, but they leaned back on the wall. Their eyes had stopped glowing. "I see... Chara could have seen this as a balance, that's why they have forgiven Asgore. One accidental hurt for another. As a child... it is probably something they thought was right."

"But why?" Toriel had finally cried out. "Why laugh at Asgore when he had been in so much pain? After caring for them... I don't understand."

"I take my knowledge from observation, but Chara... They have a determined SOUL." The Judge continued, their eyes shifting back. "Then it means that the moment something is taken from them, they could either take it back or make more. Chara has a high amount of natural determination. If something was taken from them, it will immediately replenish the more they felt determined. The more they felt determined, the more they step forward."

Toriel had not understood, so she told the Judge to clarify.

"It means Chara will do whatever they need to do because they have the SOUL to do it. Determination is their major SOUL component. It means if Chara wanted to put buttercups instead of butter in a pie, they would do it." Toriel had started to look alarmed, but the Judge waved a hand at her expression. "It may  _actually_  have been an honest accident, but the damage done... they see it as recompense. Asgore had hurt them by accident, and Chara had hurt him by accident. They were even. They both made mistakes. I assume Chara had learned that Asgore hurting them by accident had been an actual accident and not done on purpose as to hurt them."

Toriel had calmed down at the explanation. It had been an accident. She had released a sigh of relief. Despite not understanding the Judge's odd insistence about determination, Toriel could hear what the Judge had meant to say.

"I'm glad," she had whispered. "I was so worried about them not having a link."

The Judge had shifted from where they stood against the wall. "About that, Toriel... Chara grew a link themselves. The link looks like it's coming from Chara instead, but it leads to many monsters. I noticed that Chara cares very much for monsterkind."

Toriel had been happy to hear that Chara had a special link to all the monsters. The Judge had continued, however, and what they said next made her freeze.

"Chara and Asriel... they're planning something drastic. Or at least, from what I could tell from their SOULs, Chara is planning something and Asriel may be following along," the Judge had admitted solemnly. "Chara's SOUL, while full of determination, it's also... deteriorating. I noticed it the time I met them, but I thought it had been from Asgore's hug. They have much more hatred now than before."

They had stood straight with attention when Toriel had glared at them. "I do not appreciate you are implying about Chara," she had said firmly, nearly scathing. The venom in her voice had shocked the Judge into silence. "Chara has been doing so well and they love Asriel very much! I doubt they would be planning something bad, and Chara is so full of love! They don't have an ounce of hatred in their little heart."

"Toriel..."

"Please just... just leave."

"...thank you for letting me visit, Your Majesty," the Judge had replied softly, bowing when Toriel had said nothing. They had turned so swiftly towards the door and exited without another word. Toriel had been relieved.

She had surprised herself by her vehement reaction in defending Chara. She had not liked the powerful feeling. She had never reacted so violently... and to the Judge, too!

She had decided to apologize later.

•••

She should have  _listened_. Sitting by the door that separated her from the New Home, she sobbed quietly in her paws. So many deaths could have been avoided if she had listened to the Judge, but she had not.

She had pushed the Judge away and Chara had died, along with Asriel. Asgore had been mad with grief at the humans. He had wanted war against the humans.

She had left Asgore. They had fought over Asgore's decision and Toriel's determination to stay absolute in her disapproval at his actions. The Judge had been there for the fight, wearing a mask with no permanent grin, but one that had a soft frown. Their mask's magic lines had glowed a dull white. The Judge had disbanded their marriage when Asgore and Toriel had demanded it, all in their grief.

The Judge had protested and said they should take time, but the two of them had been fighting for so many days and Toriel had been adamant.

It had broken her heart, but she had continued to the Ruins and took the time to cleaning their old home, where Chara's things had started to be covered with seven more layers of... grime.

It took her a long while to feel better. Remembering good things about her children made it bearable.

"knock knock," came a baritone voice from behind the doors.

Toriel stiffened with surprise, wondering if the person had heard her crying. She stayed silent.

"who's there?" it continued on, giggling to themselves. "olive and tomatoes. olive and tomatoes who?  _olive_  you from my head  _tomatoes_!"

The monster burst into giggles, and Toriel herself giggled so silently at the joke. She forgot about jokes like that. She had been quite into puns, but after Chara...

"i think papyrus would like that joke," the monster said, their voice so raw with deep love and fondness.

It made her smile softly. The person behind the door... they probably love this Papyrus person a lot if they were practicing on door.

"he doesn't need to  _ketchup_  on my tomato addiction. he already  _snows_  it." The monster burst into gasping laughter again.

Toriel clamped her paws around her muzzle to stop herself from giggling more loudly.

"aw, geez. what am i doing? laughing at myself, obviously. but wow, i needed that. paps has been going on and on about the judge today. i wonder if it's because he remembered the judge from the space tear that gaster had messed up? i should have went and gotten papyrus named the next day. maybe it could have stopped me from falling in, but... huh. oh."

The person paused and Toriel held her breath.

"um. hi," the person said, knocking gently on the door. Toriel felt fear quiver down her spine. "wow. i nearly missed you. you know, it's kind of rude of you to listen to me have conversations with myself. i know i'm a charming guy, but wow, i never thought you'd be speechless at how amazing i am. i need to tell this to paps. he'll be so amazed."

Toriel couldn't help but giggle. The monster snickered. They shared a comforting silence, one that Toriel had realized she had sorely missed.

"I... I'm sorry for not telling you I was here," Toriel said hoarsely, her voice feeling rough with disuse.

The other monster sighed. "it's okay," he said warmly. Then, he snickered loudly. "i know people who like listening to me talk, too."

Toriel giggled.

"but hey... you know... you could make it up to me."

Toriel felt suspicion at his tone of voice. "How would I make it up to you, stranger?" she asked warily.

The monster giggled. "you know any good jokes?"

Toriel grinned with delight that had felt so impossible before. She cracked her knuckles and then barraged the other monster with jokes she knew.

They spent the day out-joking with silly puns and food jokes.

She made a new friend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the summary because my mind wanted something else.
> 
> My music playlist: 1 hour of Megalovania, 1 hour of Heartache, 1 hour of Bergentrückung/Asgore, 1 hour of Hopes and Dreams... You get the idea.


	3. His Brother: Sans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus had been stirring his tomato sauce when he realized that he had felt bored for the last few days doing the same routine. His daydreaming costs him. 
> 
> And Sans... Sans was a really a thoughtful brother. He made Papyrus really happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was one half of a chapter, but the other half didn't fit in this theme any more.

He was bored. He, the Great Papyrus... was bored.

It was... It was...  _disconcerting_!

He was bored while he was stirring his delicious tomato sauce for his great spaghetti, and he tried to continue doing it with more passion. With more of his not-boredom! With more zeal, with more love!

Nothing was boring about stirring the sauce. It was a beautiful shade of browning red, and a strong, smoky aroma! Like it should be! All tomato sauce should be well-cooked to the fullest, further heated by stronger flames to represent his fiery emotions!

There was nothing boring about stirring. Nothing at all! And yet...

' _And yet_...' Papyrus sighed.

He felt bored.  _BORED_! Him, the Great Papyrus! He felt so disappointed at himself. He was bored, when he had so many things to do, so much time to use! He had many interesting hobbies!

' _Why am I bored_?!  _I have so much things to do, so many friends I know_!' Papyrus stirred the tomato sauce aggressively with frustration. ' _Boredom... what a shameful feeling_!' he thought with guilt, eyes looking far away.

He was no worse than Sans! What if it was genetic? Did it mean he would start leaving socks in his room and going to Grillby's for a bottle of ketchup? What if he started sleeping on the job, like Sans did? That would be so disgraceful! The Great Papyrus did not want that.

After tinkering with his puzzles, adjusting every little error on his challenges, or after training to cook with Undyne, or patrolling the surroundings near Snowdin... it had no challenge any more! Still, he did it. It was his duty as a royal guard trainee to be the best, so he needed the training to keep himself in top shape! A human could have fallen at any time!

He just did not like the feeling of... boredom. Golly, it was such an unfamiliar feeling! If only he could find something more to occupy his restlessness. Perhaps a new puzzle or a red race car would entertain him. Anything that would keep his mind from deteriorating from the agonizing feeling of boredom would be welcome.

He sighed out loud.

"uh, pap."

"YES SANS?" Papyrus answered, stirring the spatula aimlessly. Golly, it was turning into such a beautiful brown colour... What had he added to it again...? Ah, never mind! It must be from his special spices, so it must taste great!

"you, uh... you really like stirring that tomato sauce a lot, huh?" Sans snickered from behind him, and Papyrus’s brotherly intuition immediately tingled powerfully with foreboding at the familiar sound. He felt the sense of dread crawling up his back.

"I DO," Papyrus answered carefully.

"i don't want to offend you, but maybe you could ease up a bit? you look a little red from all the stirring."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SANS? I'M NOT EVEN TIRED!" Papyrus glanced down at the boiling tomato sauce and gasped in horror.

It was everywhere! On the walls, the ceiling, all over the stove! Everywhere from what Papyrus could see, tomato sauce had splattered. Even... even...

"OH NO, SANS!!! MY  _BATTLE BODY_!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" he exclaimed in betrayal.

Turning swiftly, he glared at Sans, who was snickering loudly. Sans looked up at him and released a high-pitched keen of suppressed laughter, teeth clenched tight and grin twitching. Papyrus groaned, and then glanced down pitifully at his ruined battle body. For so many days he had worn immaculate, his battle body was now despoiled... by his own hand!

He glared at his messy gloved hands, feeling betrayed. All because he had been bored! His mind had been filled with puzzling up an idea to get rid of boredom, but all it did was make him daydream and neglect keeping his dutiful attention to his work! Him, the GREAT PAPYRUS! He had been... acting like a Sans!

" _oh boy_ ," Sans gasped, clutching his ribs. Papyrus glared at him weakly, but couldn't resist the helpless grin at seeing his brother trying so hard to suppress his laughter for his benefit. "i'm sorry, but i can't paps. i can't help it but... oh boy,  _wow_ , please, paps you have to turn away or else i'll..."

Sans covered his mouth, obviously suppressing a mirthful emotion that had filled him. His face was filled with a dark cyan glow, and his body was shaking.

Papyrus sighed in in exasperated fondness, and then nodded determinedly. Sans could have this one glory. For his brother to laugh so freely, Papyrus would do his best to make him laugh.

"GO AHEAD, BROTHER," Papyrus said with confidence, posing for his brother heroically. It would not do to look so... to look so daunted! He must show his brother that it was okay to laugh if Papyrus permitted him! "I AM NOT STOPPING YOU FROM ADMIRING MY NEW LOOK. I KNOW YOU ARE SIMPLY ENVIOUS OF MY BATTLE BODY... DRENCHED IN TOMATO SAUCE. I DOUBT YOU WOULD SEE ANYONE ELSE AS COOL AS ME IN RED!"

Sans stared at his face with wide sockets, then he cracked and started laughing madly, wheezing. "i... i am so sorry i didn't tell you - oh stars, it's... it's... it's all over your  _face_ , paps! stars, your f-face, ha-ha! oh wow. wow, bro, you look grate! even if you look a little  _warm_. i wouldn't be  _cool_  in red."

Papyrus moaned in distress at the puns and jokes. He eyed the sauce all over the place and sighed as Sans giggled even more. He saw a glimpse of a ketchup bottle and frowned, wondering if it would be a good substitute for tomato sauce... for spaghetti.

' _It would taste very sour... I think_.'

Then, as if a light-bulb lit up in his mind, he had an idea. He repressed a mischievous grin.

"I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SAUCE, SANS!! DO YOU THINK I COULD USE SOME OF YOUR KETCHUP AS A SUBSTITUTE?" he inquired, looking at his brother pleadingly.

Sans startled out of his hilarity, wiping his tears away.

"uh, sure bro. i'm sure anything you make will taste like spaghetti. i'll go grab it for you, and, uh, sorry for laughing at your..." Sans trailed off with giggles, gesturing to his splattered attire. Papyrus narrowed his sockets.

He walked to the fridge and Papyrus grinned when he opened it and grabbed a bottle of ketchup. Sans walked back and tenderly handed the ketchup, he was smiling more gently, Papyrus noted, and he was looking... relaxed.

' _But perhaps not for long_.'

When Papyrus was handed the bottle, he eyed it contemplatively. He twisted the cap off, scented the aroma and nodded.

It would do.

He aimed the bottle over his brother, then he tipped it over and poured its contents right at Sans’s skull. It created nice, fluid and goopy trails on the round lobes, descending on a smooth slide on his brother's temporal and dripping down to his jawline.

His brother simply stood there with shock, sockets wide and looking up at him with disbelief. All over his skull, the ketchup seeped into his blue hoodie and down to his clothes. It dripped to the floor, but Papyrus knew he could clean it later.

"NYEH HEH HEH! JUST AS I THOUGHT!" Papyrus exclaimed in triumph. He had just pranked his brother! And his brother had never even suspected his motive! Wowie, the Great Papyrus really had been so stealthy! "I HAVE TRULY AND FULLY JAPED YOU, MY BROTHER! AND... YOU ARE  _RED_  NOW! YOU DO NOT LOOK SO...  _HOT_! ARE YOU CERTAIN YOU DO NOT HAVE A  _FEMUR_?"

"p-paps..." Sans’s eyelights suddenly disappeared and he looked down, shoulders trembling.

Papyrus froze at the unfamiliar sight of his brother's actions and it was as if his voice disappeared in its own. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. Did he take it too far? Did Sans feel like he was being bullied? Was... Was Sans crying? Did he hurt his brother unknowingly by his childish prank?!

He felt so confused! He felt so... So...!

Sans’s sudden chortles interrupted his thoughts. Papyrus snapped his eyesockets back on his brother.

"oh my stars, paps that was  _good_!" his brother gasped, bending forward and clutching his ribs.

Papyrus forced his bones to relax at the hint of danger in the air. "REALLY, BROTHER?!" he inquired.

Sans nodded, but his sockets were still dark. "yeah... heh... heh heh..."

Papyrus took a step back when his brother's sockets lit up with cyan eyelights and his grin turned... dangerous. It was mischievous, but it was still synonymous to danger! His spine touched the edge of the stove-top and he eyed his brother warily.

He knew that look. He knew that look very well. It always ended up with their house being a mess, and Sans victorious!

"but bro... you really shouldn't have set the challenge to a prank  _master_  like me."

Papyrus felt the air tremble and turn cold. Slowly, he lifted his skull and found the pot of tomato sauce floating above him, surrounded by blue magic and cooled by cyan.

"SANS,  _NO_ ," Papyrus warned, but his voice shook with that daring mirth that always made Sans act boldly against his orders.

"sans, _yes_."

The tomato sauce was tipped over and Papyrus attempted to cover his skull, but the sauce went everywhere! Down his clavicle, through his clothes. He felt the tomato sauce slide down his lower spine and enter his battle body through the smallest of gaps.

He gaped at Sans.

" _YOU_...!" he began, but Sans stopped him with two raised phalanges glowing with dark blue magic.

Sans had the gall to wink a socket at him, a challenging smirk on his face and a bright look in his eyelights. "i think you look beautiful, pa _py_ rus. that  _red_  blush you have on your face... it makes me shiver from my skull  _tomatoes_. i think you look  _gouda-nuff to eat_."

The  _nerve_  of that skeleton! Such  _gall_! Papyrus gasped in indignation, at the... the punning, two-faced, traitorous skeleton! That daring look in his eyelights and that expectant smirk on his teeth! It infuriated him. It filled Papyrus with so much passion...

' _Passion to wipe that smirk off his skull and be the victorious one_!'

Papyrus lunged at his brother, but his brother twisted so smoothly to the side. It made him feels so... Frustrated! And...! Amazed that his brother could move like so, but he still acted so lazy and slow!

"NYEEHH!!!! ONCE I CATCH YOU, BROTHER, YOUR PUNS ARE  _TOAST_!" Papyrus twisted to the side and swiped his feet across the floor, but Sans simply jumped over his special move! So easily, as if Sans had seen moves like what Papyrus had done!

Sans dare to laugh at that. "that's great, bro. now, if you win, i might make us some  _jape_  juice and give a  _toast_  for your victory. you would definitely deserve it,  _tibia_ -onest, for making me feel so proud...!"

Papyrus growled and reached for him, but Sans sidestepped his swiping so effortlessly. His brother... Papyrus had never known he was this nimble!

"whoa, watch those arms. i don't want to al _arm_  you, but trying to catch me like that may be a bad move. you need a  _hand_?"

"NYEH!!!" Papyrus summoned his bones and Sans looked calmly at him, still grinning with delight.

"now we're talking. this is going  _tibia_  so  _pun_!" Sans summoned a familiar, aggravating bone with his magic. "you could even say... that it might make this place look a little more  _humerus_!"

"SANS,  _NO_!!!"

"sans,  _yes_!"

Papyrus released a battle cry and threw a barrage of bones at his brother. But not even one of his attacks trapped his brother... not one trapped him! How... how cunning! Sans continued his annoying chortling even as he dodged aside nimbly, sending bits of tomato sauce and ketchup all over the floor. He was still moving so smoothly!

"STAY STILL, SANS!!!" Papyrus doubled his efforts to catch his brother, utilizing bother his arm and legs in ways that he had never thought to do.

"but bro, i am  _still sans_. i never even changed my name!"

"SANS, YOU HAVE FULFILLED YOUR QUOTA OF PUNS TODAY, SO SHUT YOUR TEETH AND... AND STOP BEING SO COOL!"

Sans seemed to flush with magic and he jumped back, the tip of Papyrus’s gloved phalanges glancing his blue jacket.

"what's wrong, pap? can't handle the...  _chill_?" his brother taunted, winking. Puns while winking.  _AGAIN_!

' _That. Is. The. Last. Straw_!'

Papyrus braced his boots on the floor and summoned orange and cyan bones to surround his brother.

"AHA!" Papyrus exclaimed victoriously, pumping his clenched hand in the air. He was panting heavily, and there was a large reserve of his magic that had been used in his multiple attempts to catch his brother.

 _Wowie_! That had been a vigorous workout! He never knew Sans moved so quick on his slippers!

"I HAVE YOU TRAPPED NOW, BROTHER!"

"wow, bro, you got me!" Sans regarded at him with pride, beaming.

Papyrus puffed his chest forward. "OF COURSE! THIS IS ONE OF MY NEW ATTACKS!" Papyrus boasted. It had been something he had worked to make complete with Undyne!

"you're so cool, bro," Sans replied, looking at him with fondness.

"OF COURSE I AM! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL ALWAYS BE COOL! NOTHING CAN ESCAPE MY NEW SPECIAL ATTACK!"

"oh, well..." Sans trailed off. "hey pap, watch this," his brother said, before stepping through orange bones... and escaping his trap.

Papyrus gaped at him, speechless.

Sans looked back at him, sockets half-lidded. Then, the grin on his face turned soft. " _orange_  you glad i watched all your battles with that fish friend of yours?"

He ignored the pun. "WHAT...  _HOW_?!"

Sans winked a socket at him. "how about i help you with your special attacks? so you can fully trap me and catch me this time?"

Papyrus slid down to the floor and continued gaping at his brother.

Sans laughed softly and kneeled on the floor, crawling towards him.

When he reached Papyrus’s side, he said, "hey bro, what's  _up_?" Sans gave him a pointed look.

Papyrus turned to him, grimacing with distaste at the obvious joke. "I AM GOING TO ASSUME IT IS THE CEILING," he answered wryly, smiling back.

"no," Sans whispered, giggling beside him. He elbowed him gently, nudging his skull a little upward, eyelights flickering towards the air above Papyrus’s skull. "look up for me, paps."

Papyrus lifted his skull slowly, afraid it might be another pot of tomato sauce, but it wasn't. His breath hitched in surprise, and his sockets widened with disbelief. Above him, wrapped in blue magic, was a large tome. On its cover, Papyrus could read the words, ' _HIGHLY ADVANCED PUZZLE CREATION USING COMPLEX MAGICAL ARRAY COMBINATIONS_ '.

"OH...! WOWIE! SANS... IS THAT... IS THAT FOR  _ME_?!" He snapped his gaze back to Sans, feeling excitement pounding through his soul.

His brother smiled at him and made his ketchup-stained phalanges caress Papyrus’s magic-infused cheekbones. "yeah. i thought it was something you might like."

"BUT... BUT FOR WHAT OCCASION? IT IS NOT MY NAMING DAY!"

"honestly?" Sans looked at him for confirmation.

Papyrus nodded.

Sans sighed and leaned against his side. Papyrus reflexively wrapped an arm around the ribs of his brother to support him. Sans looked up at him, his smile full of unabashed adoration, and Papyrus felt his soul shiver at his brother's look of unbridled affection.

"it's a gift for being the greatest bro ever," Sans began, without moving his gaze away. Papyrus could see blue magic tinted on his brother's cheekbones, could see the way he struggled not to turn away, to try to give his most sincere words. "i was going to give it to you on yuletide, but then that look on your face when you were stirring spaghetti... i know that  _look_ , so i thought you might appreciate... all this."

Papyrus felt confused. All this... All of this was for him? Because he had seem so frustrated with his boredom? His soul fluttered with heartfelt gratefulness for his brother's sweet gesture.  _Wowie_... His brother... His brother must be the coolest older brother in the whole of the Underground...

"TRULY, SANS?" he asked softly, closing his gloved hand over Sans’s wandering phalanges on his cheekbones. It was trembling underneath his touch, as if Sans was nervous, even if he was acting so cool right now.

His brother chuckled in reply. "you like sparring, being challenged... you get so hyped when someone taunts you, and you like it when you feel like you're giving a spar your undivided attention. you like puzzles when they're more complicated and you always,  _always_  love it when you know you're improving."

Papyrus stared at his brother and felt his orange magic flush through his cheekbones.  _Wowie_! His brother had really given a lot of thought about this gift! And Sans had held his gaze just to make sure Papyrus understood that his brother knew him very well... And so extremely well, apparently!

"W-WOWIE... Y-YOU... YOU ARE SO  _BOLD_  WITH YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS TODAY, SANS," he replied, flushing darker and looking away shyly from Sans’s steady, warm gaze.

Sans tried to pull his hand away, but Papyrus pulled it back to his cheekbones. In the corner of his socket Papyrus caught a glimpse of his brother blushing.

"n-no, i’m n-not!" Sans denied. Papyrus turned his skull back to him and found his brother looking to the side, skull flushed with a dark blue hue. "i-i-i was just trying to be  _sincere_. you, ah... you like it when people are being earnest. you don't like it if they hold themselves back j-just because they're a little shy. and... um... you... said that it was something you wanted, for people to be a little more honest in their expression...  _oh boy_. wow, please ignore me right now."

Papyrus watched with shock as his brother pulled up his hood and accidentally splattered ketchup on his skull.

They both stayed silent for a fraction of a moment, Sans looking mortified and Papyrus stunned by his actions.

Then they started laughing and cackling and giggling.

"YOU JUST JAPED YOURSELF, SANS!" Papyrus chortled, gripping his brother more tightly to his side, shaking at the hilarity.

"oh stars," Sans breathed. He glanced at the front of his hoodie. "looks like karma finally  _ketchup_ -ed to me." Sans cackled, holding his ribs tightly with one arm.

Papyrus laughed and noticed a washcloth covered in blue magic and tomato sauce cleaning the counter.

He repressed a grateful smile at his brother's thoughtfulness. "REALLY, SANS?"

Sans glanced at the stove-top with a smug expression. "oh yeah, your bro's going to clean up stuff."

"WITH YOUR MAGIC? YOU LAZYBONES!"

"ah, yeah. about magic... after i clean up the mess, we'll go over your attacks, okay?" Sans glanced at him and poked his cheekbones. Papyrus flushed in response. "and then, we'll read the book together. but first--!"

Papyrus felt the blue magic wrap around him, and he gave his brother an exasperated look as the magic floated him to the bathroom.

"bath time for you, papsy," Sans said, looking playfully stern.

"SANS, I AM NOT A BABYBONES ANYMORE!" Papyrus complained playfully, pointing an accusing finger at his brother. "BESIDES THAT FACT, YOU ARE ALSO IN NEED OF A SHOWER! AND YOUR CLOTHES WILL NEED TO GET WASHED."

"sure bro. right after i clean this mess and you clean yourself."

Papyrus sighed, but did as he was told.

* * *

 

Later, they discussed his attacks and Sans shared his insightful opinion about each strategy.

Sans was so knowledgeable. He had nearly forgotten that they had a certain mental harmony, with Sans being so observant and careful, while Papyrus puzzled and built contraptions. They worked really well together, creating complicated puzzles together while Sans had worked as a part-time Royal Scientist. If only Gaster had not been erased from existence, maybe Sans would have still been the Royal Scientist.

He shook his head. It was not wise to dwell on such things. He turned another page of the book, then scanned the page, squinting.

He nearly choked on the words written on the page.

"SANS, T-THIS IS WRITTEN BY  _THE ROYAL JUDGE_!"

Sans looked up from where he was also reading the book, right next to him, blinking his sockets owlishly in confusion. "yeah, bro."

Papyrus immediately turned his eyes to the text on the page. "A-AND IT SAYS IT IS THE  _ONLY_  BOOK TO EXIST!"

"uh... yeah." Sans blushed and scratched his skull, looking determinedly focused on the text.

How very diligent of his brother to be so dedicated into reading the book with him!

"...WOWIE, SANS! YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN THINKING OF ME SO HIGHLY THAT YOU ASKED  _THE ROYAL JUDGE_  TO WRITE  _ME_ , THE GREAT PAPYRUS, A SPECIALIZED BOOK!!!"

Sans giggled hysterically, for some unknown reason. "heh. only for the greatest brother i have."

Sans looked nervous, but it was probably from learning new complex puzzles with the Great Papyrus!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes mine. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the kudos you've given this story! I really appreciate the thoughtful gesture. It fills me with joy to see that you, readers, are really into the story. That I wrote... when I was also bored!
> 
> If you have any questions, ask away. I feel like I'm leaving a lot unanswered, but if it needs to be answered, I might write a fic to explain it.
> 
> Updates on this might be weekly. Depending on my weekday business.


	4. Spying on Fans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus listens to rumours and sets off to gather intelligence...
> 
> Dressed in his ultimate spy clothes and disguises!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea how to do spy stuff. Here you go.  
> FANART THO.
> 
> This... This is one of a fanart from the amazing sansy4244!!! *-*)/
> 
>  
> 
> [Link to their DeviantArt](http://sonadowlover4244.deviantart.com/art/Judge-Sans-650102076)
> 
>  
> 
> PLEASE LOVE THEM.

It began with the whispers. Perhaps it even started from the rumours. Papyrus didn't know where it had come from, but he only heard parts of it by word.

He had been walking from the shop, about to go home, a reusable bag in his grasp filled with everything he needed to make his perfect spaghetti. He had passed by a monster couple, who were giggling to each other about the admirable Royal Judge, then a pair of dog guards, murmuring to each other about the odourless Royal Judge, and then a plant monster talking to a drunken bunny monster, also yelling about the intimidating Royal Judge.

He had been about to enter the house when he had realized it. He had paused in the open doorway, with Sans greeting him with a pun. He hadn't reacted, only frozen in place. Sans had been worried, but Papyrus waved his concern away, saying that he was the healthier of the two of them. Sans had snickered and muttered another pun, then winked at him when Papyrus told for him to stop.

But it hadn't seemed to matter, because everyone he had just passed after his shopping... they had been talking about the  _mysterious_  Royal Judge. In every corner, in every nook and cranny, the Royal Judge had seemed to be the most popular topic.

So much more popular than  _Mettaton_. In the whole of Snowdin, where Mettaton had seemed to be the talk of the town, now...

Now, it seemed like he had been mistaken!

But no, he had to get proof. It would not do to simply assume things, not when Sans would have gathered data before he started writing down a conclusion. Sans would have told him to completely strip the rumour... down to the  _bone_.

' _Even in my mind, I cannot escape Sans’ vexatious puns_!' he groaned.

He wondered if the other regions of the Underground had heard of the Royal Judge. It seemed like the monsters in Snowdin knew more about the Royal Judge in question than he did, and Papyrus knew everyone! His brother, on the other hand, knew probably no one besides Papyrus, Alphys and Undyne... and the King... and the Royal Judge.

After realizing that his own brother had worked nearside the Royal Judge when he had been a part-time Royal Scientist, Papyrus had told Sans that he was going out for a spontaneous training around the whole of the Underground. While it was another way for him to train, it was also a chance to gain more information about the Royal Judge that all the monsters in Snowdin gossiped about.

Sans had looked at him with incredulity, looking dubious. He had turned bodily from the couch to face Papyrus. "are you sure, bro? the whole underground is... big. there's lots of stuff they haven't explored there, you know?"

"SANS, YOU KNOW I AM VERY CAREFUL ABOUT MY TRAINING! YOU SHOULD COME WITH ME! MAYBE IT WILL GIVE YOU THE MOTIVATION TO NOT FALL ASLEEP ON YOUR JOB!"

"nah, bro. that's your thing." Sans had smiled softly, shaking his head. "just send me a message if you get into trouble."

"I WOULD NEVER GET INTO TROUBLE," Papyrus had gasped. The nerve of his brother to even assume such a scandalous thing!

Sans had winked. "oh, i see how it is. remember that time when you came home from school covered completely in--"

"SANS, NO! THAT WAS IN THE PAST!!!" Papyrus had cried out in mortification, remembering exactly and vividly what memory Sans had summoned from the deepest corners of his mind. It had been an embarrassing moment. He had come home crying and covered in paint!

Sans had started to grin with mischief. "but bro, now i have to list all the other times you--"

"PLEASE JUST STOP, BROTHER," Papyrus had interrupted quickly, attempting to stop the list of his scandalous past that was filled with trouble. "I'M GOING INTO MY ROOM."

"good luck on your training, bro!" Sans said loudly.

Papyrus had caught a glimpse his brother's white eyelights flash a glint of cyan before he had scrambled up the stairs. It had looked oddly... assessing. It had reminded Papyrus of Sans when he had first discovered the odd quantum physics book that he had found at the dump.

Papyrus had felt nervous by that expression, but he had pushed it away. After all, he had a new mission!

•••

He had been right. Everyone just seemed to know about the Royal Judge. More than he did, in fact. Walking in the whole of the Underground and listening to the murmurs had been a good idea, because...

It was true. Mettaton had been mentioned only a few times before a conversation turned to a heated discussion about the Royal Judge's appeal. It was such a bizarre thing to happen, to learn that most monsters found the Royal Judge appealing when the Royal Judge had not ever removed their mask. The Royal Judge was much more hidden and secretive than Mettaton. The popular star had been very much exposed much more than the Royal Judge's own personality.

With those questionable thoughts in mind, he tried to gather information.

He had entered an odd establishment in Hotland that had been so deeply hidden behind a waterfall of lava. It had been a great discovery, because he had seemed to discovered gold! Many monsters in the hidden restaurant talked freely about the Royal Judge. It was... it was like a secret gathering of fans!

And... The Royal Judge had many fans, and so much more admirers!

All of them had been wearing cloaks and masks when he had spotted them yesterday, so he had brought his own. It was a simple mask with a white face and holes for eyes, and a black cloak that hid his double disguise of his spy shirt and spy pants. He wore a pair of black gloves and black boots so it covered his bones, along with a simple but fabulous white scarf to cover his neck. All in all, he looked fully like a secret fan of the Royal Judge!

A fashionable,  _and_  subtle, secret fan of the Royal Judge!

And so he sat on the farthest table of the temperate restaurant, ordered their best spaghetti and doing his very best to look interested in his non-special spaghetti, listening in on conversations.

A pair of bunny-masked monsters entered the establishment and quickly made their way to a booth next to his booth.

"Isn't the Royal Judge just so... so mysterious?!" a blue-cloaked, bunny-masked monster squealed once they had sat down. The other bunny-masked monster nodded eagerly, scratching an excited nail at the table. Papyrus winced at the sharp tone.

"They walked into my shop a week ago and I swear I have never heard the chains and bells on their clothes sound so... damning," the purple-cloaked, bunny-masked monster replied. "I thought I was about to be judged so suddenly, but the Royal Judge just said  _hello_  in this very gentle voice and asked me if I had  _tomatoes_. Tomatoes! They said they were going to cook something special for dinner."

Papyrus brightened at that. It seemed like the Royal Judge sincerely liked tomatoes! But of course, what other fruit would make spaghetti? Certainly not apples!

Although, now that he thought about it, maybe he could make one from squash? Sans had mentioned it before, but Papyrus had been distracted with recalibrating his puzzles. His brother had mentioned that he had seen it in one of the cook books he bought for Papyrus. He hadn't tried that recipe yet...

From the corner of his socket, he saw a frog-masked cloaked monster nod eagerly. "I've seen them a lot by the castle grounds, picking up some flowers and making flower crowns," they said. "The next day, the Royal Judge hanged them on trees. How cute!"

Papyrus inwardly questioned the practical use of flower crowns on trees, but then he realized it. The Royal Judge had no monster friends to give the flower crowns, and they considered the trees their friends! Wowie! The Royal Judge seemed like a considerable and thoughtful monster towards his friends. Papyrus added that knowledge into his mental list.

"Well, I've seen the Royal Judge for judgement," someone whispered with a giggle. A cloaked monster with a jeweled pink mask had moved closer next to the bunny-masked pair, and they sat down next to their table, and Papyrus could see glimpses of yellow scales in the shadows of their hood. "I got to  _shake_  the Royal Judge's hands! They said I was welcome to come back if I started feeling so badly of myself again."

"You're so bold!" someone replied with a tinkling laughter. "It must have been soft, though. Even with the gloves, the Royal Judge's hands just seem to look so dexterous! And when the Royal Judge's mask just glows that normal white glow...  _wow_! The smallest hint of the Royal Judge's magic just gives me the warm shivers."

Papyrus could understand admiring the use of magic that was rarely displayed. His brother, Sans, so rarely used his magic, but when he did... It felt like it was blooming, curling from a restful sleep and stretching its calm patience outwards, drawing in the energy of others and somehow making everything feel like it would all go well so long as they stay under his watchful gaze. His brother always seemed to be much more observant, much more alert despite the calm, and so much more relaxed and soothing.

Whoever the Royal Judge was, they probably won't be on his brother's level of expressive magic, with or without words. Sans was most expressive in the silence of a room, but even when he spoke, he used clear, thoughtful words. He always thought of what to say before he spoke them out loud, to give others the chance to understand what he said much more meaningfully.

That was one of his brother's many ways to win an argument diplomatically and turn a monster's opinion to share his own. Papyrus knew that his brother's wisdom had filled monsters with a sense of understanding, a hint of his magic working to help others to come to a realization that his brother had already concluded.

"The Royal Judge is so nice when they talk to me. It makes me feel at home!" someone else replied. Papyrus squinted and saw it was a dog-masked monster that interrupted the conversation. "They always give me some of Asgore's tea."

"The Royal Judge wore the mask I made them one time! They're so cool! They said it was a great effort and they wore the mask to show appreciation!" a monster that sounded suspiciously like Monster Kid exclaimed. The group of monsters cooed at the thought.

Papyrus gaped inwardly at the shocking news. How kind of the Royal Judge to do such a thing! Even Mettaton had not worn the knitted sweater he had sent. For the Royal Judge to wear a gift from a monster, they must be so thoughtful. And to appreciate effort, they must be someone with great work ethics!

The Royal Judge seemed like a very interesting person!

"But have you seen the clothes the Royal Judge  _wears_?" A monster wearing a beautiful silk cloak approached the small crowd gathering near Papyrus’s table. The monster wore a purple mask with an intricate lace design. "Monster fabric made by  _shifting-shades_! They've all fallen down, but they still made a great impact on the clothes worn to this day. They're so rare that only the Royal Judge wear them, because they've lived for so long!"

So the Royal Judge had already existed much  _earlier_  than expected. The monster fabric that shifted colours... Mettaton had an episode where he had displayed a desire to own such sophisticated clothing. A refined monster fabric that tuned into the magic and intent of the wearer, so rare, apparently, that only  _the_  Royal Judge had owned the last of it.

"I know, right?! I went to the Judgement Hall for a visit and the Royal Judge was wearing a  _black_  cloak. Three steps away and it turned  _white_! Monster fabric of the old is really amazing. It can change colours depending on the person who wore it!"

Another monster sighed in lovingly. "I can't just get my head around the way the Royal Judge uses their cloak to show  _images_! I particularly love the one where it showed lots of stars and the coloured clouds!"

" _OH, YEAH_!" shouted someone who sounded suspiciously like Undyne. Papyrus turned his skull and saw a tall monster sit down haphazardly next to the pink-masked monster. The monster couldn't be her, could they? "Remember that one time where the Royal Judge had nine SOULs on their cloak with different colours? Those had looked so  _cool_! I wish I had a cloak like that!"

' _Nine SOULs_...?' Papyrus thought, something in his mind felt familiar of the words. Or the image, perhaps. Nine SOULs... Where had he seen them before? A nagging sense in the back of his mind continued to bother him.

"Oh, I really love the way the Royal Judge just uses their white magic for their eyes," a motherly-sounding monster began. "Remember the last festival? The Royal Judge wore that colour and I thought, for such a simple shade, the Royal Judge gives it a good look! Now I feel really confident in using my magic!"

"The Royal Judge does give off that feeling," another monster with an orange mask said in agreement, sounding so completely enamored. It almost sounded like they were purring. "They're kind of neat like that, making people feel like they belong. I thought I'd never met someone who has that kind of power and makes their way to make everyone feel like they're not alone. Not like other monsters I know..."

The conversation continued on, and everyone seemed to sing only praises for the Royal Judge. Papyrus learned so many things in so little time! He felt that this was a good way to gather information about the Royal Judge. There had been so much information about the Royal Judge from so many monsters, but there had been nothing so concrete. For example, while Papyrus knew the Royal Judge bought tomatoes, he still did not know if it was their favourite fruit!

"But the Royal Judge is so oblivious to us, their FANS!" a suspiciously robotic voice replied to another monster's comment about the Royal Judge being observant. "Not once have they acknowledged we existed, as if they didn't know they had dedicated fans like us!"

The orange-masked monster hissed under their breath. Papyrus eyed the person suspiciously, wondering if they were about to reveal a dark secret of the Royal Judge, but they said nothing. They had crossed their arms and simply backed away from the monster with a robotic voice.

A monster chortled with laughter. "Oh my, they've been gathering a huge following in the UnderNET. Out of all the fan club pages, the Royal Judge has more fans than even Mettaton or Asgore! They scored number one for the Most Popular and Definitely Single Monster in the Underground Top Ten. I don't think the Royal Judge knows anything."

Or, the Royal Judge had the same internet habits as his brother, who desperately avoided those kinds of sites out of the preservation for his own mental acuity. Papyrus had done the same, completely terrified that his own mental health would deteriorate from the mindless droning of other rabid fans.

At least he had his own blog to sing praises for those he admired. Even so, to prevent his mental acuity from deteriorating, he made sure to refresh his memory with puzzles and discussing chapters from the magical puzzles book with Sans. His brother always seemed to read ahead and make sure Papyrus understood each nuance missed. His brother always allowed him to further his knowledge, always encouraging him to learn more, to allow himself to think critically and allow himself to enjoy it.

Now... if only that jealous troll would stop leaving puns on his blog...

•••

Papyrus yawned quietly and opened the door to the house, glancing up and shrieking in fright when his brother appeared right in front of him.

"NYAAAAAHH!!!"

He stepped back and his spine hit the door and it shut loudly, making him cringe. The wreath on the back of their door shook at the vibration, and Papyrus gasped when the tiny sharp pines tickled the back of his neck.

"SANS!"

Sans’ white eyelights glowed with restrained humour. "how was your training, bro?" Sans asked, looking at him searchingly.

In his brother's left hand, he had an uncapped bottle of water. While Papyrus was glad that his brother took him up on his opinion that he should also drink water, Sans should have stepped around more loudly.

Papyrus glared at him weakly, trying to calm down his racing soul. His brother merely smiled innocently at him.

"BROTHER, WHILE YOU ARE MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED RELATIVE AND I WOULD NEVER HURT YOU ON PURPOSE," Papyrus began, watching as his brother grinned more widely. Papyrus sighed in exasperation. "SANS, PLEASE MAKE A SOUND WHEN YOU WALK! I NEARLY THREW MY MASK AT YOU!"

Speaking of masks... Papyrus glanced down at his attire, realizing he should have stopped wearing it before he went home. But didn't everyone else go home with their outfit...?

He glanced back at his brother. His brother only raised a browridge at his spy attire.

"so, pap..." Sans trailed off a bit. "you're into some new stuff. what's with the... clothes?" His brother gestured to his... Everything.

Papyrus jutted his chin up proudly. "THESE ARE MY NEW SPY CLOTHES, SANS! I WENT OUT TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE."

His brother nodded thoughtfully, sipping from his water bottle. "why don't you rest for the couch a bit? you look exhausted from your... double training."

Papyrus agreed with him and went off to shed his cloak and hanging it in his arm. He sat down on the deceivingly soft couch, sighing when he felt his bones cradled in the cushions. While he had simply sat and listened to so many monsters to speak, it had been so draining! So many people had spoken about the Royal Judge and Papyrus had rushed to mentally list down all the things he had discovered.

Sans smiled at him warmly and sat beside him, placing his elbow on the armrest and taking small sips from his bottle.

"so what did you gather information about, bro?" his brother asked. Papyrus turned to him, blinking his sockets. Sans shrugged at him. "it doesn't seem like you, but i know you'll do it if you have to... and i'm kind of curious what you wanted with the whole of the underground."

Papyrus beamed. He felt glad that his brother showed interest in his adventure!

"WELL, SANS, I AM GLAD YOU ASKED! DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME I CAME HOME AND I TOLD YOU ABOUT MY NEW TRAINING?"

His brother nodded for him to go on.

Papyrus felt a little hesitant, but he persevered. "WELL, YOU SEE, I HAVE HEARD RUMOURS ABOUT A CERTAIN SOMEONE AND I HAD TO GET PROOF FOR CONFIRMATION! SO I WENT TO EVERY PART OF THE UNDERGROUND I KNEW, AND I HAVE LEARNED SO MANY THINGS! THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS DECIDED THAT HE WILL CONTINUE ON MEETING THE SAID PERSON AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM MUCH MORE PERSONALLY!"

He posed passionately for his brother, who simply looked at him with deep fondness. His brother took another sip from his bottle and Papyrus couldn't be more proud that his brother was drinking healthy. It could have been better with milk, but Sans said he always drank milk with him before bedtime, so they compromised with a bottle of water after a bottle of ketchup.

"what did you decide, bro?"

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL BEFRIEND THE ROYAL JUDGE!" he exclaimed.

Sans sprayed water all over the carpet, coughing.

Papyrus was at his side in an instance. "SANS, ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT HAPPENED, BROTHER?"

Sans' face had flushed with magic, and his eyes teary from coughing. His brother glanced at him and gave him a thumbs-up. "s-sorry, pap. i swallowed wrong. i'm fine."

Papyrus looked at him sternly. "PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF MORE, BROTHER! I KNOW THE WATER TASTES REFRESHING, BUT THERE IS NO NEED TO DRINK IT SO QUICKLY! YOU SHOULD SAVOUR IT!"

"uh, sure bro. thanks for the tip." His brother giggled at him nervously, and Papyrus eyed his brother as the shorter skeleton capped the bottle carefully. Sans cleared his intangible throat and looked back at him, somehow looking so shocked. "so, uh... you... you're going to be friends with the judge, huh?"

Papyrus nodded eagerly. "OF COURSE, SANS! I THINK I WOULD BE FRIENDS WITH THE ROYAL JUDGE. AFTER ALL, I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEH HEH HEH!"

His brother grinned, but it seemed... strained. "oh, um... why, though?"

Papyrus paused. Why, indeed? He only knew the Royal Judge from the rumours, but they sounded so interesting! The Royal Judge, a fully-wrapped mystery that Papyrus felt so excited to learn! He only knew little clues, but sooner or later, maybe he and the Royal Judge could be best friends? They bought the same fruit, after all! And from what the monsters have said, they were compassionate, considerate, and they appreciated great effort! Papyrus knew about his own hard-working tendency, and Sans had commented once or twice that effort held importance when achieving a goal or claiming a prize!

"BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS THE JUDGE, SANS! I WANT TO BE THEIR FRIEND SO SOMEONE KNOWS THEM!" Papyrus looked at his brother, who looked a little... sweaty? "PERHAPS... PERHAPS I SHOULD SURVEY MY TARGET BEFORE BEFRIENDING THEM...? YES. YES! THAT IS A GOOD IDEA! I SHALL GO AND DO THAT!"

"oh boy," his brother said, fiddling with the water bottle for a short moment. Sans gazed back at him and smiled gently. "that's, uh... that's really cool, bro. uh, good luck?"

Papyrus beamed at his brother, completely excited about his new mission. And it felt so relieving! Now he had so many more hobbies! Along with the book that Sans had given him, he now knew much more about the Royal Judge!"

"THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, BROTHER!" Papyrus said, happy that his brother seemed supportive despite being nervous for him that he would be rejected by the Royal Judge as a friend. "YOU ALWAYS SEEM TO GIVE ME GREAT IDEAS!"

He ran to his room, but not before he saw Sans blushing heavily and covering his skull with his hands.

* * *

 

When Papyrus finally slammed his door shut, Sans groaned loudly and buried his face into the armrest, wishing Papyrus had chosen a different person to admire this time.

How in the world would he hide his identity now? Papyrus would definitely ask his help to spy on himself. Of course he would.

And he would probably help, too! Oh, stars. He was in deep trouble.

Days of secrecy... Poof! Gone. Sans, finally revealed as the Royal Judge. Resident punster, previously a part-time Royal Scientist, the one that kept all the secrets everyone had told the Royal Judge.

All because Papyrus chose the most mysterious puzzle of the Underground: him, the Royal Judge.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I imagine Sans seeing Papyrus coming home wearing completely black clothes and going...
> 
> "this is not the paps i'm looking for." 
> 
> ALL MISTAKES ARE MINE. xD
> 
> Oh stars, guys! Thanks for dropping by a kudos! I didn't realize that there are so many of you reading this fic!
> 
> Wowie! Thanks skeleton friends!
> 
> What did the skeleton name their yacht?
> 
> Bone Voyage.


	5. Hanging Out and Musings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus hangs out in Hotland and contemplates the Royal Judge's weird but oddly fabulous fashion statements. Perhaps he should have brought a fashion magazine instead.
> 
> (Sans feels eyes crawling up his spine only until the very end. Then he thinks about deep stuff.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have issues with summaries, I know. I just love foreshadowing with puns. Also, sleep-deprived me posted this. This problem is for the future me in something like six hours.
> 
> Look, more fanart!!! AHHHHH!!!! This one is from Cari0 ♪♪♪
> 
>  

Papyrus knew how he wanted to start his day. After days of planning an elaborate schedule using only rumours as his guide, he finally had a high chance of following the Royal Judge. He had surveyed the locations intently, searching for possible hiding places and areas that had enough shade to keep him unnoticeable. He had made sure he hadn't been seen, and he made sure to write it down on his planning diary so he wouldn't forget where he was supposed to hide.

Now, he had to test if his planning had been for naught.

"bro," Sans called out from the living room. Papyrus heard his brother shifting loudly on the couch. "you know that weird show you really like? that one with the calculator, you know, it's... uh, it's playing a new episode right now."

Papyrus perked up happily, but then he paused before he exited his room, realizing that he had a mission to do. An important, and very interesting mission that would require so many days to accomplish, depending on the target.

"uh, pap?" Papyrus heard his brother call out in confusion. There was a sound of yawning, whispers of bones shifting. "aren't you going to watch this, like you usually do?"

"NO, BROTHER! I HAVE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT PLANS FOR TODAY!" he replied, nodding to himself.

"oh..." His brother's voice sounded quieter. Papyrus strained his hearing to catch his words. "okay, bro."

He stepped away from the door, but not before he heard Mettaton's interesting new character relaying their scripted words. It was ever so tempting to simply skip his mission and simply sit down and watch Mettaton's new show. To lose himself to the passion of the calculator, perhaps even learn something from the episode... Maybe he could start his mission  _tomorrow_  instead?

Papyrus clenched his hands tightly, shaking his head at the thought.

No.  _No_ , he would not get so distracted by Mettaton! Not now. He had more interesting things to do, like spy on the Royal Judge and study them in their natural habitat! Or, well,  _habitats_.

He relaxed his bones forcefully, but found that he did not need much effort to do it. He realized that his interest in the Royal Judge seemed to outweigh the new episode of Mettaton's show. There was something about such a secretive person that made Papyrus feel so captivated. Surely such a new challenge, being a friend, was not a difficult mission?

Papyrus knew simple, public knowledge about the Royal Judge. Based on the amazing detail and thought they had put into the magical arrays in the book they had written, the Judge also had a hidden depth for spell creation. Perhaps even spell deconstruction.

Papyrus knew that spells such as the ones in the book were designed by someone who lived for so long. When the monsters got trapped under Mt. Ebott, the spells had been forgotten. Monsters simply used various magic through intent, without any other preparation to make their magic smoother in transition. There was no meditation, no practice of skill.

Monster nearly became sloppy with their magic. If it hadn't been for the Royal Judge's odd meditations at random places in the Underground, the monsterkind would not have seen a better example. The Royal Judge had inspired monsters to at least practice their usage of magic, according to the rumours. Their dedication to keeping their magic stable made Papyrus happy. Sans had always said that keeping his magic stable by training himself to use efficient magical use made him stronger, and it did. Papyrus had grown so much more strongly, more  _HP_  from his brother's stalwart guidance, more  _ATK_  from his brother's random conversations about concentrated magic, and more  _DEF_  from his brother's off-handed comment about endurance training being able to train the body to withstand pain and keep bones stronger.

Papyrus felt thankful that the Royal Judge also seemed to follow such ideals. They probably knew how magic created such delicate weaves of monster SOUL. Undyne had once said that the Royal Judge told her that monsters may look strong, but their SOULs were much more delicate than humans. He didn't know why so, but Undyne said something about monsters being made of stardust and becoming one with everything.

It had sounded odd, but it had made him think that it was a good idea. It made him happy that monsters had a place, even if they may never leave the Underground. It made him think that the Royal Judge would be a great teacher, or a professor, if they ever stopped being a judge.

The soft sounds of snoring coming from the living room snapped him out of his thoughts.

Papyrus blinked his sockets. He glanced at his room, staring at the various plush toys of the Royal Judge on his bed (his own creations), then to his desk, where he had kept sections of rumours that seemed much more believable than the rest, arranged by the places the mysterious judge kept appearing. He looked at his bag, and then he noticed just how much of the material he read in the past few days had been about the Royal Judge.

Oh. He was acting like one of the fans he had heard that were talking about the Royal Judge's uniqueness!

He grinned at that. Those fans had been so perceptive of their idol, and now, Papyrus knew what it felt to fully recognize that the Royal Judge had a side that he wished to get to know fully. He felt that he had thought so much deeply, like the ones that Sans encouraged (so long as he did not stay there for too long). The Royal Judge truly became an inspiration to him.

The mystery behind them... Papyrus would love to know about it! For such a solitary monster, they certainly had many fans that adored them, even if they had no clue about it. It would probably be nice to be their friend, because while Papyrus would certainly get fans in the future, then he could talk with the Royal Judge as another famous person to another.

He smiled happily and started packing a bag. He had borrowed one of his brother's longer hoodies, but while it completely reached his hipbone, its sleeves barely reached his wrist bone. Fortunately, the body cloth he had usually worn underneath his battle body took care of the excess bones revealed. With a little help of a black mask (previously white, repainted for spying purposes), his skull was covered. A pair of black glove, black pants and black boots finished his look.

He patted himself, checking for the utility belt and the climbing harness. His binoculars were in the black bag, along with long rolls of rope and safety hooks for zip-lining. Only a few more steps and he would be ready for his mission.

He nodded determinedly, and then packed a small snack for himself. After all, he needed all the energy. Hotland had such strange puzzles.

•••

 _Hotland_... There were many words to describe the place near the capital, but it was not fun.

Not at all.

Those conveyor belts... They were menaces! They ruined the purity of puzzles, and they always made him so lazy, even if it was not on purpose. They encouraged monsters to simply stand on them and allow the conveyor belts to drag them to their destination!

So, in thanks to those spy movies he had watched, he finally found a way to get over the conveyor belts. Literally. He had connected cables over the conveyor belts eight days ago, which he had attached to tall peaks of land mass at the farthest corners of Hotland that did not contain hidden cameras.

Unlike Undyne, he had no need to ask Alphys about the security cameras. He was an expert at finding hidden circuitry and tracing them with his magic. Some of them had been odd, ancient magical security like ones that Sans had shown him before. Luckily, Sans had trained him to detect those, too.

Sans had told him to practice detecting circuitry and magic, to never allow himself to be unprepared for anything. His brother could do it much more quickly, and even Papyrus could only do it half the time... Which, in fact, was only a few seconds. Sans had such weird magic that adapted to any situation. Not that his brother allowed anyone to know... Sans had taught Papyrus a lesson of keeping his strengths hidden until it was desperately needed, to ensure that no one would take advantage of the knowledge of his strengths and prepare countermeasures against them.

It helped a lot, because so many monsters underestimated the Great Papyrus! No one would even guess that he would be spying upon the Judge from a great view from above with his binoculars, completely unnoticeable. No one would ever suspect him, not even his brother, because Papyrus followed the spy rules and did not tell anyone.

Many would never have even thought about it! How else was he supposed to observe his target? Magic could do so much! Using his gravity magic, he had buried the bolts of the metal cable deeply into the landmass. He had attached a climbing harness around his pelvis and femur, using the metal trolleys to help him move his body long the cable. Now, he was safely away from those blasted conveyor belts!

The main highlight of his day, however, came from a dark corner of Hotland. The Royal Judge had appeared from the shadows, away from the cameras and the security magic, walking around puzzles and taking the conveyor belt... while also walking in the same direction.

Wowie! The Royal Judge did not seem to be bothered by the conveyor belts because they simply did not allow it to make them lazy. They had started walking despite the conveyor belts leading them to their destination.

Currently, they were dressed in the whitest of cloaks, and their mask etched with an intimidating grin. Two holes for their glowing eyes, both with no pupil. On each corner of the grin, there were glowing white lines. There was a symbol of the Delta rune on the forehead of their mask, also glowing in the same colour. Another Delta rune brooch made of a black material, but it gave off a metallic sheen, the triangles that represented the monsters trapped in the Underground was a silvery-white shade of metal, attached to the black wings and the circle of the rune. Around their cloak were thin silver chains, some of them attached to the brooch, and some of them simply disappeared under their layers of clothing. Little bells were attached to the little chains, but not one of them made a sound.

As the Royal Judge walked, Papyrus followed them silently, one hand on his binoculars and one hand wrapped in gravity magic to help him move. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the Royal Judge's clothing much more clearly. They had two hoods, one perhaps attached to his cloak, the other attached to their coat... underneath the cloak. The judge had worn a cloak and some sort of cape-like cloak in  _Hotland_ , along with formal clothes underneath.

Papyrus wondered if they were attempting to endure the heat, but then realized that perhaps they had not felt the heat because they were a type of monster that did not feel the temperature at all. Papyrus and his brother did not feel the temperatures of the Underground as strongly as the other monsters. Sans mentioned that some monsters could sense a change in temperature, and feel it, but some could sense it differently, and not feel it.

Sans had thought that, since they were skeletons, they could feel the temperature change by not actually be affected due to the evolution of their magic. Being created by ancient magic, they had more adaptable capabilities than most monsters. Papyrus remembered his brother saying that they were the last ancient magic creations ever discovered, the rest having already fallen down by the time they started existing.

To Papyrus's surprise, the Royal Judge seemed to be headed to the lab of the current Royal Scientist, Doctor Alphys.

He frowned at that. He had no chance of entering the lab unnoticed unless he shut down the cameras and hacked into their system to give false surveillance images. However, it would mean the surveillance would fall and the security of Hotland would plummet in seconds, and that would be entirely inadvisable.

The safety of the Underground relied heavily on the hidden cameras that Doctor Alphys had reactivated after Gaster's untimely disappearance. (Not that anyone remembered the previous Royal Scientist... Only his previous followers and two skeletons could grasp the existence of Doctor Gaster. They had been in contact with his magic, after all.)

The Royal Judge reached the jumpers and Papyrus braced himself stiffly against the cable, aware that one simple move could announce his presence to the Royal Judge. They stepped onto an arrow, and they twisted delicately and carefully in the air, not one of their bells making a sound even as their cloak billowed around them when they landed on a landform.

Papyrus nearly applauded in shock, stunned by the grace the mysterious judge had displayed. Not once had Papyrus heard one of those bells move. He wondered briefly if the Royal Judge had used some type of magic to prevent them from ringing, but he could not imagine the Royal Judge simply being so active in their magical use.

He closed his eyes and replayed the event, urging himself to remember the smallest of details.  _Anything_  that he could write down in his mental notes. He could have missed even the simplest evidence.

Papyrus had seen some sort of formal suit underneath their cloaks, a simple shade of white that had strange designs of sharp black lines on its front and back. Even their trousers had parts of the black lines. They wore mismatched white gloves, one with multiple straps and one with simple laces. Their boots had the same theme, though on opposite sides, one with simple laces and one with multiple straps. Both seemed to have an equal height on their heels. Each of their accessories had tiny little bells that made no sound.

Papyrus felt very confused about their attire, wondering if perhaps there was something more to their clothes than normal. There was a book on symbolism somewhere in the library at Snowdin. Perhaps he should check upon the history of the Delta rune. From what he remembered, it had been recently recognized as the royal symbol.

He still had seen no glimpse of it changing colours, but perhaps that was to be expected. They had seemed to be too busy to perform such feat of magic.

Papyrus sighed despondently when the Royal Judge reached the laboratory. He knew that the Royal Judge appeared in Hotland, but not for a reason he knew. Now, it seemed as if the Royal Judge had simply paid the Royal Scientist a visit, perhaps to start on a routine check-up on the progress of the security.

Papyrus could only guess they were inspecting the laboratory.

He pouted as much as he could under his mask when the Royal Judge entered the facility. He locked the trolley on the cable, then unzipped his backpack while hanging vertically and allowed his binoculars to float back inside, locking his bag when the device was safely tucked into its niche.

He wondered if he should wait for them to come out, but then he realised he still had time to run to Waterfall and wait for the Royal Judge to arrive.

He should probably do that. Besides discovering that the Royal Judge walked ever so silently with bells on their person and the chains hanging about their person... well... That was actually an impressive feat. The skill of a monster to be able to walk silently like that, adorned with metals that didn't even jingle... Monsters had remarked on the sound of the Royal Judge moving with jingling little noises, but they must have never seen the Royal Judge do the opposite.

On the contrary, it seemed that the Royal Judge preferred their presence undiscovered. Papyrus realized that the Royal Judge must have consciously allowed themselves to be heard, perhaps to allow monsters to know about their presence. It made him feel...  _something_.

It was something that felt like admiration.

It was reassuring that the Royal Judge seemed considerate of others to let them know they were approaching. On the other hand, it was also a useful skill for spying. The way the Royal Judge moved, as if they were gliding through air, their cloak billowing behind them, the way their eyes sharply observed their surroundings... it was somehow  _ensnaring_.

Somehow... it was oddly  _fascinating_.

Papyrus felt anticipation vibrating in his SOUL.

He aimed his legs at the side of the landform below him, and then he unclipped the lock on his climbing harness and descended with his gravity magic. Once on the side of the landform, he reached out and clipped his karabiner onto another trolley and cable, this time gliding over the lava instead of above the conveyor belts. He had a route specifically planned for Waterfall, and he would reach it if he stayed on the cable.

•••

Sans felt a shiver tingle down his spine as he entered the laboratory. He restrained himself from scratching his skull in confusion, wondering why he had felt a tingling sensation under his bones, like someone had been watching him.

He sighed heavily in thought and adjusted his mask, and then he walked to Alphys' office.

"Doctor Alphys," he called out, for once glad that skeletons had no permanent vocal chords.

It was easier to disguise his voice that way. With the mask on his face, and the hidden runes etched behind the grin, he could project a different voice. Something soothing, something that sounded deep but unlike his own voice. Something that would help the monsters feel at ease.

"O-oh, u-um, h-h-hello, uh, Royal Judge!" Alphys squeaked.

She appeared from the corner of a turn, dressed haphazardly with a white lab coat and horned glasses. Her scales glistened with some kind of shimmery powder, giving her a an oddly youthful look. She smiled nervously, trembling underneath his gaze, despite him being only two inches or so taller than her.

Sans frowned at that. He knew Alphys was nervous around him, but he didn't think he would be feared by the Royal Scientist. He always tried to be much more gentle with the monsters that seemed like they were about to fall apart from one word. Considering what Alphys had done to be reduced to her state, however... the amalgamates, the determination shots, the experiments... she really needed a break. She had wanted to impress the king with her discoveries, but the results of her experiments damaged her severely. Whatever determination she had from the start as the new Royal Scientist, it had disappeared under her fragile shell.

Sans allowed his eyelights to glow a soothing white. "Doctor Alphys," he intoned gently. "I'm here to use a room, preferably one that has a lot of ventilation and the closest to a forge that you have."

The Royal Scientist sweated nervously, her face flushed with her magic. "O-oh, may... may I ask what for?"

"I'm going to make something with the old metals that I've kept in my vault," Sans replied smoothly, tilting his head to a side. No, he wasn't telling her anything about his plans. It was his project to finish. He needed privacy until he could sort out what he wanted to do with the old metals from... that day.

Alphys seemed even more nervous. Sans could tell it would be difficult to get through her little shy shell.

"Oh. Um... uh..."

"Yes, Doctor?"

Alphys looked tearfully at him. "I... I'm s-sorry, sir, but t-the am...  _Amalgamates_... T-they were b-blocking the c-corridor to the melter..." The doctor fidgeted anxiously with her claws, staring sadly at the floor with her shoulders hunched guiltily.

Sans felt compassion stir in his soul. He suddenly had an image of his brother as a baby bones, crying to him about splattering paint on his clothes by accident. It was exactly the way that Alphys seemed to resonate: guilty and upset. The thought of his brother always made him feel much more forgiving, much more merciful and so much more empathic.

"That's fine with me, Doctor Alphys," he said gently, patting her delicately on the shoulder. She squeaked in surprise and looked up at him with clear relief. She seemed surprised that he had touched her shoulder.

He remembered being there for her Naming Day. Her parents had been so happy to know that they were chosen to name their child, as they both had a strong link for the newborn monster. Alphys had looked so vibrant, so excited at new discoveries. Now, she had fallen so far from herself and hid her vibrant self underneath her insecurities.

Alphys stepped forward and stopped. "B-but the Am... Amalgamates are d-dangerous..." Alphys trailed off anxiously.

"I shall find my way around them," he replied, then left Alphys to be on her own.

Sans knew several hidden shortcuts in the lab. There was always a second or third entrance to a lab room on a lockdown. He had it secretly installed, and most of them were opened manually. It took power from the CORE by a set of hidden circuitry, only to be detected once it showed activity, and only if someone else knew where they had been hidden.

Besides that, the Amalgamates already knew him. He had tried communicating with them, but they had different types of communication in their new forms. Sans had dedicated a time for them, taking notes and speaking with them, practicing their new style of communication like he had practiced all the others he knew. They knew the Royal Judge understood them, they knew they could tell him anything and he would listen.

Sometimes, they were sad to be away from their families, but they also liked hearing stories about them. Sans learned what he could about their families, always greeting them and asking about their day, waiting for them to open up and spill their stories. He almost always relayed their lives to their respective Amalgamate relative and received excited thanks and melancholic 'smiles'.

Perhaps one day, they would be able to go back to their families, once Alphys finally gained the courage to be honest about the living state of the donated dust.

He found the hidden doorway, a wall that seemed like a wall, but it had a coloured little blue star on the bottom of the wall. He activated it, pressing his glove on the wall and quickly spiking a small amount of his magic into the center.

The wall glowed briefly, and then he was suddenly facing a large machine that looked recently used. He assumed that Alphys had been using it to create Mettaton's final body, because the blueprints of a humanoid robot were scattered on the table counters.

The machine appeared to be in the middle of the room, surrounded by counters along the walls, containing different tools to melt a combination of metals, along with pliers, a hammer and some updated version of human tools that had been remade to be more efficient.

Sans opened a small pocket space and withdrew a large chest with his gravity magic. He placed it gently on a counter, and then he took out his pocket watch, and opened it.

He stared at the small skeletal key attached to the silver chain near its top, then looked to the hands that pointed to the time, trying to supress the memories of where he had gotten the chest.

It had been so exhausting, but so much rewarding. Training to control his magic, to see into his own SOUL and separate all components that made him Sans... He shuddered nervously. He had been reluctant to do it, but the Essence of Magic had said it was the only way to stay alive and finally be reunited with his brother.

The hints that he had seen before he allowed himself to reach the past had been greatly helpful, but he had not known how much effort it took. With his one HP, he wasn't exactly  _training_  material. Being sent back in time... While he knew it would be such a lonely journey, he had not known much about the hardships he had endured to become long-lived.

For Papyrus, however... For his brother, he would do what he had done, and perhaps more than that. His brother had always seemed to be the only way he got through the challenges. For each shade of magic he had to master, he had to completely adapt and renew his SOUL. The way he thought, the way he acted and reacted, the way he appeared to others, the way he survived the journeys the Winged Monarch had sent him. It had been so exhausting, changing parts of himself in order to unveil that part of himself that contained the magic he needed to learn.

He had learned so much about himself. The paths he could have taken the different cores he could have had if Papyrus had not existed... It opened his eyes.

Fortunately, his main core was Patience, and somehow that helped a lot. He had studied patiently and grasped the meaning of being in another one's shoe. His empathy had risen, his capacity to adapt so quickly was near-abnormal, and his ability to stay grounded came from the thought of Papyrus.

Papyrus... his brother, his Mercy. The Winged Monarch knew that Sans had preserved his sense of self only because of his brother. The bond he held... It had pulled him away from the fractures that he had made of himself, blending it all back together, thinking of his little brother's fragile health, the way that his eyes filled up with tears... He needed to be there for his little brother.

That simple thought would spike his willpower and pull him together. He would be whole once more, along with it the knowledge to use the magic he had untangled from himself.

The last challenge, however... That one had been absolutely terrifying. Being soulless for what felt like three months in a gaping darkness had been the most excruciating. Not because he had no soul, no, but because he could  _feel_  the bond with his brother, but not actually 'feel' the love he felt for Papyrus.

While he had focused deeply on making his brother his top priority to protect even while he was soulless, there were times he had felt like doing something less  _boring_.

But then...  _then_  the bond would tug sharply at his mind, as if a reminder to pay attention. That one had made him feel... an amusement of some kind. It felt like he could still feel some sort of playfulness, but not exactly. Like being entertained, and somehow so captivated. The glowing brilliance attached to the bond, the aesthetics of the movements it made, the pulses of life, the fascination that deeply embedded itself in his being...

Sans wanted to be with the one at the end of his bond, his Papyrus. His fascinating little light. His pleasing little brother.

He had pulled himself together at the thought, and when he came back to the Winged Monarch, they had told him it only took him several seconds to master the magic.

He had collapsed from the magical exhaustion and shock. Sans had to be brought to a healer to give him a full night's rest.

He sighed quietly and eyed his pocket watch again.

Suddenly, Sans had a  _great_  idea. It must have been his greatest idea in days. He unlocked the chest and grabbed the pouch of black powder and chunks of silvery metal from the corner, and then he turned the machine online. He used the computer hidden in the corner and logged into his private account, drafting a blueprint for his project.

He grinned excitedly as he finished little tweaks on the design, then allowing the machine to process his request to melt the two substances together. He felt accomplished. One project done, and now he would probably be off to Waterfall soon.

Papyrus would have been so proud, if he had been there. Sans was being so productive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes mine. All of it.
> 
> By the way, this is pre-frisk, but they already have six SOULs. I have an explanation for that... But. Eh.


	6. Routines and Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus continues on to Waterfall. Sadly, nothing significant happens until he sees something so scandalous.
> 
> The Royal Judge should probably not do things like that in public. Who knew what kind of rumours would crop up?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY!!!
> 
> The chapter has written itself. I have no idea. Please continue and know so much about all my spelling errors and grammar errors. I got a lot of errors. I tried.
> 
> Equivalent to 3 chapters.

It was a normal day for the Royal Judge to disappear to a hidden area of Waterfall. Papyrus had calculated the location using the simplest method of learning where the Royal Judge had initially appeared, then tracking down the only place that they neglected to approach.

There was a part of Waterfall that he hadn't realized to explore. To rectify his mistake, he had studied the area intensively. He memorized each and every curve, from the large, glowing tree with willow-like branches making a surrounding curtain of smaller versions of an echo flower, and down to the odd circle of nine echo flowers that whispered nothing but the names of colours. Not one little detail was missed. He had to be meticulous about this!

Although... there was something suspicious about those echo flowers. Not one of them seemed inclined to echo back with the name of other colours. Each of them had a different voice that whispered a colour. The grass in the area had glowed under the steps of his feet and continued glowing until his feet was off the ground.

It had been surprising and worrying. It was surprising that the grass had lit up under his boots when he had entered a sort of contained area, and worrying that it would be detrimental to his spying. If he had not taken the time to scout his new spying place, there would have been so many accidents.

The nine echo flowers, however... They were probably far enough to prevent a change in their words.

Nine.

Papyrus tapped his skull in frustration, trying to remember the words he knew about the number. It was a number that signified a completion, perhaps related to being the last number that was the end of single digits. He sighed heavily and thought about other nine things, but it didn't make sense.

Nine... Flowers? Nine towers of the castle? The Hermit card...? Nine sleeping sheep on his brother's old pajamas? Nine of diamonds? Nine of hearts...?

Why did that sound familiar–

Suddenly, the memory cropped up and Papyrus palmed his head in realization. Nine, like the nine SOULs he had heard Undyne said when she was disguised with a cloak and mask. Nine SOULs on the Royal Judge's cloak... Could the colours be the same as the words the echo flowers whispered when touched?

It was highly possible.

Papyrus frowned, looking through the binoculars as he adjusted his position on the large tree, his climbing harness attached to the cable that he had hidden through the spacious area of the large tree's branches. It felt a little daring to be this close to the nine echo flowers. He had a nagging suspicion that the Royal Judge would be located near the flowers, going by the state of the grass in that part of the contained location.

He had no source for any information regarding the activities of the Royal Judge when they went to Waterfall, only the moments before they disappeared for an hour or so. It had made him think that the Royal Judge was avoiding monsters. Perhaps for rest? It  _would_ be so time-consuming for the Royal Judge to entertain each and every monster that needed them. Perhaps they simply needed a place to rest...?

Papyrus had no clue.

The sounds of laughter caught his attention. Papyrus hastily disguised himself in the glowing branches. He turned his binoculars to the source of the sound and sighted Monster Kid talking to the Royal Judge just at the edge of the contained field.

Inwardly, he scolded himself for getting distracted by his thoughts. He should have given his full attention to his surroundings!

"Is this for me?" the Royal Judge asked Monster Kid, gesturing to the young monster's neck, to what Papyrus recognized as a clumsily painted mask. Papyrus could understand why it would have such sloppy painting. Monster Kid had no arms or hands to hold a paintbrush, but the mask seemed so...

Vibrant.

So  _alive_.

"Yes!"

"Truly? You don't want it for yourself?"

Golly, even their  _voice_ sounded mysterious! It was soft and yet deep, yet there was an undertone of several voices, like the Royal Judge had more than one mouth.

"Yes!" Monster Kid exclaimed loudly. He was nearly vibrating with excitement, skipping on one foot to the other. The Royal Judge's expression was hidden behind their mask, but somehow, their glowing white eyes expressed appreciation. "I made it all by myself! I tried to make the shade of orange that you wear, but I ran out of the paint, so I used the lighter blue that you match with your orange clothes!"

"I can see that you put a lot of effort in painting this mask," the Royal Judge replied softly, a gloved hand reaching out from the depths of their cloak to touch the mask with tentative fingers. Monster Kid vibrated more strongly, grin wide and eyes shining with admiration. "I see how much it looks like your skill with painting is becoming more refined. That means you're only getting better and better when you practice. You have such dedication to practice a lot... It's a beautiful work of art."

At the Royal Judge's simple compliments, Papyrus felt his soul race. For some reason, they reminded him of a soothing wind, something that breezed through trees and touched gently upon the petals of flowers. It was as if the Royal Judge's words carried the weight of a thousand encouraging words, of deep-seated reassurance. There was something so familiar about the way their words washed over him.

Could the Royal Judge be any more considerate? How could their words be so straightforward and yet... so...  _sweet_? As if they were not so embarrassed by their own sincerity! As if they knew just how much it meant for Monster Kid to hear kind words!

"Really? I thought it looked a little funny!" Monster Kid explained, looking a little embarrassed.

The Royal Judge chuckled. "I like it that way! A funny mask makes monsters smile and laugh, while a sad mask makes them a little sad, too!"

Monster Kid gasped in happiness. "Really?" The little monster stared at the Royal Judge with wide eyes of belief, pleading for truth and yet not wanting to be hurt.

The Royal Judge laughed so earnestly, and sparks of magic flooded his white outer cloak. Colours of cyan and orange twined so intricately like frost and ember across the cloth, filling it with beautiful and complex patterns.

Papyrus nearly dropped his binoculars in shock, surprised by the way the Royal Judge's cloak had changed so suddenly. He scrambled to take a steadier hold on the binoculars before it slipped from his fingers.

"Of course!" The Royal Judge took the mask from around Monster Kid's neck. They turned around. Papyrus froze as they faced his tree, then reached up and removed his mask.

Papyrus held his breath as he anticipated the face that was about to be revealed.

The Royal Judge removed the mask, but Papyrus could only see darkness under their hood, along with the glowing orbs of their eyes. There was no face to see, as if hidden by another mask. They tucked their mask inside their cloak and wore the imperfect mask on their face of darkness. They allowed their eyes to glow a cyan and orange shade of magic and turned back to Monster Kid, who had gasped happily.

"You really like it!" Monster Kid looked teary-eyed and happy, their mouth trembling with delight.

"I would not lie about it," the Royal Judge said, patting the monster child's head gently. "Now, remember to inform your parents where you are! I'm sure they're missing you right now."

Papyrus’s face flushed.

Oh.

 _Wowie_!

The Royal Judge was so compassionate! It was such an admirable trait that Papyrus found so compelling to remember this day. They cared so deeply about the emotional state of Monster Kid's parents. Papyrus could tell the Royal Judge knew about Monster Kid's adventurous soul, always travelling the Underground to follow Undyne and ask her to train him, similar to what Papyrus had done to train to be a Royal Guard.

What a great monster they were!

Monster Kid nodded eagerly. "I will!"

"Undyne's training near the Capital today." The small monster grinned up at the Royal Judge with happiness. The Royal Judge winked out a glowing eye. "You'll catch her if you take the shortest route to the side of the castle by the gardens."

"Thank you so much! Undyne is really so cool!"

"Go on, now. Watch out for the little rocks along the way. Do you remember what I said to do when you fall?"

"Use my muscles to pull myself up," Monster Kid recited obediently, his tail wagging with joy. "Ask for help if I need it! It's not a weakness to ask for help. It's a call for good monsters that want to help."

"That's right!" The Royal Judge's eyes of magic glowed brightly for a moment. "She's going to leave soon. You better run now."

Monster Kid took off happily to the direction of the castle.

The Royal Judge watched the monster child leave, then, once Monster Kid was not visible, the Royal Judge stepped into the contained field. The grass brightly lit up under their feet brighter than it did to Papyrus. Their shoulders relaxed slowly as they moved further and further towards the large tree where Papyrus hid.

Papyrus stayed still as possible, but he lowered his binoculars.

Then the Royal Judge entered the circle of glowing flowers and their clothes dissolved in bright white light. It blinded Papyrus for a moment, as the brightness from their cloak swallowed whole even the barest hint of a surface with its luminescent touch. It felt like his SOUL was surrounded by the warmth emanating from the Royal Judge's light.

When the light faded, and once Papyrus could blink the awe away, the Royal Judge was suddenly wearing a somewhat casual attire. A simple hoodie-like black and white coat and a pair of black pants. It was the monochrome look. Their gloves and boots had turned white, even if its design had not changed at all. The mask that Monster Kid had given them had disappeared, and in its place was their regular mask with the etched grin.

Their chains had stayed, along with the Delta rune brooch and the tiny little bells. The addition he only saw was a chain leading into the left pocket of their top. Something like a pocket watch, maybe? Or keys?

How the Royal Judge had utilized their magic in order to change their clothes... Well, the Great Papyrus would persevere to find out! It seemed like such a useful skill for something related to spying!

They sat down on the grass, legs apart, surrounded by the circle of echo flowers.

Papyrus stared in silence, waiting for anything to happen.

They simply sat there, unmoving and yet their upper body seemed to sway to a silent beat, something soft like the breeze. Their hands propped behind them, gloved fingers tangling with the blades of grass. They hummed softly, a tune so unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. It was like they were simply relaxing, a rest after a long day, or a short break after working so hard.

Somehow, the tune felt so indescribably soothing. It filled Papyrus with a sense of peace. It filled him gently, slowly. He felt so safe and secure, like nothing could hurt him.

It sounded like a reassuring lullaby.

Then the Royal Judge's hands slipped and they collapsed to the ground, the back of their hooded head making a loud sound when it came in contact with the grass.

Alarmed and terrified, Papyrus nearly threw himself forward, only to be stopped by the climbing harness pulling on his bones. He scrambled to untangle himself from the harness, clumsy fingers grasping and slipping, never making a difference.

Then he heard it.

Louder, and louder, the echo flowers started changing words. He froze. They repeated colours and traits, something like patience, integrity, perseverance... So different traits for each different colour. Each voice sounded different, and yet they seemed to come from the same mouth.

Papyrus’s breath hitched quietly, and his sockets widened as he saw the echo flowers starting to glow a different colour, perhaps even imitating the colour they repeated with urgency. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, cyan and violet... Along with shades of white and black.

A memory flashed in his head, him calling out to a monster wearing a grey cloak with nine hearts facing outwards in a circle, a mask glowing with power, Gaster dropping a dangerous experiment by accident, the king looking so horrified...

His Naming Day.

The Royal Judge had been there for his Naming Day.

Sans had been sucked into a gaping void and Papyrus had felt the helpless despair fill him, causing his magic to react violently against Gaster. The Royal Judge had entered the void without hesitation and retrieved his brother from the terrifying blackness.

The Royal Judge had not come out of the darkness, and they had only pushed his brother out before the darkness had seemed to close, like its tear repaired itself. It was an impossibility for the Royal Judge to reappear, but Sans had said they were going to get gold.

The Royal Judge had come back to give them a chest filled with gold. Papyrus had thanked them for saving his brother and then he had given all his attention to Sans, who had stayed silent, sobbing into his neck and whispering his name so reverently.

Papyrus snapped out of the memory and dazedly looked back to the Royal Judge with new eyes, knowing now just how powerful one monster could survive being consumed by something so incomprehensible.

They stayed in the ground, but their SOUL had manifested. Tendrils of magic came from their beautiful white SOUL, one that had lit up inside their chest. It stretched across the grass and connected to each of one the echo flowers. The echo flowers' colours seeped into the tendrils of white light, staining it with colour until the colours led back to the white SOUL. The SOUL had absorbed the colours, blending in smoothly into their core.

Not even the black echo flower had made a worrying stain.

Papyrus forced himself to look away, blushing in embarrassment.

How  _scandalous_!

To see a monster's SOUL without their permission was a rude thing to do... Only family members could share that kind of intimacy, or even lovers! Only when in battle it was appropriate to stare in public! Sans could pull out his SOUL to point out the detail of its oddities or irregularities, or to teach Papyrus more about SOUL theory, but to view a monster's SOUL while they thought they were alone...!

And he may have seen it by accident, and even if it was covered by layers of clothes, but it was still something he had seen!

Just as he was about to untangle his harness and retreat back to Snowdin, he heard the whispers suddenly die out. Papyrus peeked again, hesitantly, and relaxed when there was no evidence of the Royal Judge's white SOUL. He nearly sighed in relief.

The echo flowers had stopped whispering words, and they had turned back to plain echo flowers. Papyrus idly wondered if they were echo flowers at all, by the way the Royal Judge had allowed its magic to touch their SOUL...

Or could the echo flowers had that magic infused inside them by the Royal Judge? Papyrus narrowed his eyes at the thought, observing quietly as the Royal Judge sat up carefully, left hand on their chest while their right arm supported their body weight.

They sighed quietly. "Well, that was a little troubling," they said to no one. Papyrus wondered if they knew he was there, or if the Royal Judge liked speaking out loud to themselves. "I stopped it, but somehow, the magic went elsewhere... Could it have been able to pass through...? No, no... Hmm... I should ask if we have... I'm supposed to rest, but..."

The Royal Judge muttered nonsensical phrases, and Papyrus felt confused, uncertain how their words related to anything at all. They stood up and cleaned their clothes with a snap of their fingers. Dirt and grass fell away from their clothes as they started pacing. Each of the echo flowers swayed back and forth, seemingly entranced by their swishing coattail, the little bells on their chains jingling so quietly.

Papyrus thought the Royal Judge seemed so nervous about something, or perhaps extremely worried. They had started to cross their arms, shoulders hunched and head bowed with something akin to concern. Their glowing eyes started flickering, disappearing and reappearing as if they were blinking rapidly or processing thoughts with urgency.

It made Papyrus realize that, despite all the comments the monsters had made about the Royal Judge, they were still a monster with normal problems.

"I need to build some kind of machine to locate the power," they muttered loudly. They pocketed their hands deliberately, and then stood still. The jingling of the little bells stopped ringing. "I should have allowed one use, but then it could have damaged... Maybe with a core of...? No, that would immediately break apart. If I used the code and formula from the other machine I made, I could analyze some of the surface damage, maybe... I need more information. I can't just charge into something like this, but it has been  _weeks._ I can solve things in a few days, but it has been weeks!"

Or maybe not normal problems. Maybe that's why the Royal Judge seemed so worried! They had been stumped by a mental block that prevented them from answering a problem! To have a challenging problem that seemed so serious... Wowie, they must really need help!

The Royal Judge abruptly exited the circle of echo flowers and Papyrus tucked the binoculars back into his bag as the Royal Judge went out of the contained field. He scrambled to follow them with the climbing harness, but when Papyrus finally rolled out from the branches of the tree, the Royal Judge had already disappeared, no sight of their coattails anywhere near, not even a jingle of their bells.

' _Sans,_ ' Papyrus thought grumpily, swatting away the unintended pun with a sigh.

Of course his brother's infernal puns would suddenly spark an idea like that. Whenever Papyrus felt so lost, his brother's puns would make an appearance in his mind, making him both horrified at his own amusement and touched that his brother's bad jokes could make him feel a little more encouraged to continue his daily missions.

Papyrus waited for a moment, hoping for the Royal Judge to make a sudden reappearance. When it passed a whole minute, he conceded that he may have greatly miscalculated the Royal Judge's consistent schedule.

Papyrus groaned in defeat, knowing he could not fight circumstances with his own will. Another moment of the Royal Judge not following their schedule! He felt like the world was against him, what with the Royal Judge continuing his normal routine the rest of the previous week, but only showing deviations the moment Papyrus took the time to study them in their natural environment in order to document their... normal activities.

Papyrus frowned in confusion. What  _exactly_ was he expecting them to do? Besides learning about them from observations, what would stop him from simply asking them about themselves...?

Oh!

Yes, he remembered now.

There was that book that had mentioned something about actions speaking louder than words. To gain knowledge about what their body language could tell him, each action as important as the micro-gestures the Royal Judge could make. He only had to review his memories and make sure to note it as a different base for the Royal Judge's regular behaviour. To determine a  _control_ while observing the ones that seems to have different results.

Once he had enough information, perhaps they could be friends after Papyrus learned all that there could be about them from afar!

He unfastened himself from the cable, wrapping himself with gravity magic and allowing a slow descent to the ground. His boots crunched the grass and it lit up with a beautiful white glow, reminiscent of the way the Royal Judge's SOUL had—

Papyrus blushed heavily, shaking away those thoughts. It was scandalous to  _think_  of such things!

He removed the climbing harness from his hips and arranged it neatly in his backpack. He took out the black cloak, a different one from the time at the Hotland restaurant. He wore it over his hoodie, to protect and hide his identity from any cameras he might have missed.

Not that he doubted Sans’ training would fail him. He had no clue if the Royal Judge or the Royal Scientist had installed new cameras prior to his spying.

He would have to check later.

•••

Trudging quickly along the snowy banks, Papyrus felt a little better about missing so much information from the Royal Judge's usual routine. He realized that, while he had missed a regular routine, he had discovered so much more about their character.

For example, the Royal Judge had been tired when they had spoken to Monster Kid. The way their shoulders had slumped the moment they had entered the contained field was proof of that. The moment they had stepped inside a safe place to relax... Papyrus had found out that the contained field repelled monsters that were not invited to the ward. It had been surprising to realize that skeleton monsters were invited, written in odd runes that Papyrus vaguely recognized from somewhere, and then he had understood that perhaps it was an area that his brother also scouted for humans as a sentry.

The Royal Judge and his brother knew each other, after all. Perhaps the contained field was something of a base station, where Sans or the Royal Judge could observe monsters or humans without their knowledge in order to gather information, much like an invisible area where they could hide in plain sight.

The Royal Judge must have carved those runes, to be freely changed by skeleton monsters and one creature rune that he did not recognize. They must have not thought that Papyrus would have entered the field to spy on them, or they might have thought that Sans would be able to use the changeable runes to make a different array of magical instructions.

Another thing he noticed was the Royal Judge's mysterious magic. He had inspected the nine echo flowers and found traces of magic surrounding them, proving that the Royal Judge could infuse a living magical plant (an echo flower) with magic and use them to repeat words.

Could those voices be from monsters the Royal Judge knew? In the past, or the present? Or could they also be a monster that could mimic voices they heard? It seemed like so. Papyrus had never seen a monster with a face like he had glimpsed. Perhaps the Royal Judge was a monster of their own kind.

Perhaps they were the  _last_ of their kind!

Papyrus could agree to that inference, what with the Royal Judge's age being older than the king.

Still, it was unwise to simply allow an inference without observations to counter or complement the logical assumption.

Papyrus needed further proof!

It wasn't like the Royal Judge had changed their locations, after all. Papyrus could simply spy on the Royal Judge without their knowledge, allowing him to further observe their behaviour. There were many things to learn from their daily activities! He only needed to follow them around and note down deviant behaviour and consistent actions.

' _Nothing else could go wrong_!' Papyrus thought happily, humming a tune.

As if answering his thoughts, a loud bark interrupted his mental cheer, and his head whipped up just in time to see another cloaked person carrying a large stack of books, hurrying at a fast pace towards his direction.

There was a shiny patch of icy water under both of their feet.

Papyrus felt fear run up his spine.

When he tried to stop his long strides, Papyrus went flying forward as he slipped on a particularly slippery part of the glass-like ice.

He shouted a warning, but it was too late!

The other person yelped as Papyrus collided into them, sending both them and the books flying across the snowy bank and all over the slippery ice. He reflexively embraced the other monster to slightly soften their impact, trying to shift their gravity and only moving a little.

His fall had brought down with him the other monster, whose arms wrapped around his waist with a squawk of surprise. Papyrus’s masked skull planted itself into a fluff of snow, the littlest of frost bursting cold sensations in his socket. The impact rattled his bones and the vibrations shook his skull. He was stupefied.

Then his rational mind came back online.

He groaned in mortification, the snow muffling his noise, hoping the snow would swallow him whole for being such a clumsy fool in front of another monster. A monster that he had underneath him, brought down by his own clumsiness.

"Oh  _stars_ ," the monster said in a shaky voice, with an undertone of laughter. "I think I nearly lost my SOUL for a moment."

Papyrus froze, recognizing the subtle echoes in the voice.

No. It couldn't be.

"That was a little scary, but we survived," they said, chuckling breathlessly. They paused suddenly, and concern filled their voice. "Wait, are you all right? Are you  _hurt_?"

No, no, no...! It wasn't supposed to be this way!

Papyrus immediately rolled away from the monster, face flushing a bright orange under his mask. He glanced to the side and stared in horror, lying still in the snow with shock.

Oh gods.  _No_.

He choked when he saw white eyelights peering at him, a familiar grin-etched mask with glowing lines covering their face. The familiar cloak they always wore was pink this time, still covering their head with a two hoods. There was a new black scarf around their neck, constellations on it glowing as brightly as their worried gaze. The little chains and bells on their cloak made quiet and loud jingles, the mismatched gloves reaching out for him seemed so damning.

Oh gods.

It was  _the Royal Judge_.

He was  _doomed_!

The mismatched gloves of those hands gently grasped for his trembling hands. The Royal Judge sat up, and Papyrus followed suit, unable to look away from that concerned gaze. He felt frozen inside, like looking into the eyes of a predator, even if the predator seemed more like a worried little lamb.

"Hello," they said softly, their thumbs rubbing over the back of Papyrus’s hidden metacarpal with soothing ease. There was a sense of warmth coming from the glowing tips of green healing magic. "Are you all right? Did the fall hurt you anywhere?"

Papyrus slowly shook his head, still staring with wide, shocked sockets at the Royal Judge's white eyelights. The shadows of their mask's holes made it seem like their eyes were floating in the darkness.

"That's good, then." The Royal Judge sighed in relief, and Papyrus could feel their odd magic expressing the emotion through warmth. They leaned closer, voice hushed. "Now, I know you've had quite the shock, so how about I help you up? Is that okay?"

Papyrus nodded slowly, still feeling like his body was possessed by someone else. He could feel his body moving, but the actions were so much foreign to his SOUL!

The Royal Judge seemed to brighten, and yet their cloak slowly turned a darker shade of pink. "Okay. I'll try to stand up first."

The Royal Judge carefully stood up, the threads of their boots started glowing a dark blue shade of gravity magic. Once they were safely standing, they pulled him up with gentleness akin to an urging caretaker. Papyrus followed the pull, feeling tendrils of the Royal Judge's gravity magic surround him.

They were so short! For some reason, he had expected them to be nearly as tall as the king, or like Gaster had been so tall. But no, they only seemed to reach his clavicles. Their face leveled to his sternum.

The Royal Judge's was using their rarely used magic. Surrounding him, the Great Papyrus, with gravity magic in order to help him have a steady step on the snow. How... thoughtful!

"Uh..." The Royal Judge seemed hesitant, eyelights searching his sockets. They still hadn't let go of his hands. They were holding hands and staring at each other's eyes! Or their masks. Papyrus couldn't tell where they were looking!

"Are you all right? Did you get hurt by the fall? I know I've asked the same questions, but I'm not sure if you're aware."

"I... I am fine!" His voice had come back! What a relief!

The Royal Judge's magic that still had him wrapped in gravity magic expressed a happy emotion. Papyrus blushed brilliantly under his mask when he sensed the delight and sweetness translated in the gesture. There was something so strangely familiar about it, but he could not pinpoint the reason why!

"I'm glad you're not hurt," the Royal Judge said, their eyes of magic flickering, as if they were blinking, or thinking... Or maybe checking if he had superficial damage on his clothes. They settled on his mask. "The fall may have damaged your mask, though."

Papyrus blinked in shock when their mask suddenly shifted, imitating a heartbreakingly sad expression. Its grin was upside-down, the lines emanating a dull blue glow. Their eyes spoke such deep heartbreak, somehow, and that would just not do!

"I-it's fine," Papyrus replied, inwardly panicking about trying not to make the Royal Judge cry. "I can fix it later! Please don't be sad, it's easy to fix! I can glue it together!"

"But it is falling apart!"

Those hands let go of his and reached up to touch the mask. Papyrus could feel a slight pressure of a breeze slipping through the littlest of cracks.

"This can't be glued together," they murmured with great heaviness in their voice.

They sounded so regretful! Guilty! As if they had been at fault for breaking his mask, when it had been just because of the icy ground!

How... How  _noble_  of them! For them to take the blame, and simply letting Papyrus not be at fault, when he had been the one to first slip on the ice and tumble upon them like a sack of potatoes.

Even so... Papyrus knew it could not be glued together. They were right.

"I... It's fine!" Papyrus replied, covering their hands with his own and squeezing reassuringly. There was a startle in their expressive magic, like they realized just what they had been doing. He lowered his voice into a gentle manner. "It's all right. I can always make a new one if I wanted. It's not your fault! It was the ice. We both had things in our mind and failed to pay attention to our surroundings."

There were many materials left from his crafting box. If he had to replenish his supplies, he supposed could simply buy some more from the shop. Also, with Sans’ knowledge over science, there could be ways to gain resource without resorting to spending gold. He could ask and his brother would help him. Sans could never resist a scientific puzzle, after all.

"No, no... It's..."

They shook their head, and then they pulled away. They shoved their hands in the folds of their cloak, rummaging through the fabric. They made a sound of triumph and they pulled out a black mask, one with beautiful, starry design descending from underneath the rune. It had a simple, but elegant Delta rune on its forehead, similar to the Royal Judge's, made of something white and metallic, or maybe glass-like.

It looked so... Amazing! The little details of the constellations were accurate from head to tail! Was that Virgo and Pisces...? And Aquarius and Libra! There was also Draconis, Lupus and Canis! And was that Ophiuchus?

 _'_ Wowie!  _How very interesting_.'

The Royal Judge really knew their constellations. They must be a fan of astronomy, like Sans a fan of science! Or maybe they also taught what Sans knew. Perhaps the Royal Judge had been Sans’ mentor in every science possible!

"Here," the Royal Judge said, handing him the beautiful starry mask. There was a gasp echoing from somewhere, but Papyrus couldn't tell where it came from, his concentration orbiting around the Royal Judge's hands. "I call this the mask of Mercy. It's, um, yours now... for being really nice."

Papyrus blinked in surprise when he found his hands reaching for the mask.

"But I don't mind making another mask," Papyrus replied, completely confused by the surrealism of the moment. He traced the constellations with a curious finger, wondering if it was engraved or embossed.

Then he noticed it, the slow movement of the little lights coming from the tiny stars, a great sign of the mask being ultimately made from rare magical materials. Alarmed that he had just been handed a rare artifact, he looked up.

"I-I can't accept something like this, your... Your Royal... Ah, um... Miss... Mister..." Papyrus stammered nervously, scrambling to hand back the mask with panic in their limp hands. He failed, so he had to force their hand to hold onto the mask, grasping it for them by covering their hands over the mask. "I simply cannot accept such a rare item! I have no idea where you might have thought that I can care for such artifact, but I am simply ill-equipped to handle such responsibility!"

They only seemed so amused by his efforts to deny the gift. Their magic expressed laughter, something that felt like amusement.

"It's fine, really," they whispered, snickering.

Papyrus would have felt slightly insulted had he not felt the warmth of appreciation glowing in their magic. They turned their hands over and shoved the mask back in his hands and making him bemoan the future where he would probably accidentally break the rare item from something even more ridiculous than falling on snow. Maybe he would drop it on a pillow and it would break into tinier pieces!

What a tragedy that would be!

"B-but I'm completely clumsy!" Papyrus tried to explain, even if it was only rarely true. He was much more composed on a normal day, but somehow, the universe was out to get him! "You have seen it first-hand!"

 _'Oh no, not a pun!_ '

"I want you to have it," they replied firmly, covering his hands with his own. Papyrus still felt incredibly unsure just why they thought he was worthy of such item. And they were treating it like it was a casual thing to do, handing out valuable old masks that probably cost more than his and his brother's house! "It seems like you need it more than I do, right now."

As if fate deemed it so, a cracked plaster of his mask dropped onto the snowy ground. They both looked down and stared in surprise, and then the Royal Judge laughed. Their magic expressed sudden mirth, completely unrestrained sincerity.

Papyrus conceded to the universe's demand and sighed in defeat, accepting the gift with grace. "I suppose I should accept this now that the world clearly does not view me favourable today."

The Royal Judge's eyes flickered, as if blinking. "I'm sure that's not true. I've been feeling a little down, but that fall really brought me up."

Oh gods.

 _No_.

 _Please, no_.

Papyrus did not just hear the puns in their words. It would be just his luck that the Royal Judge would find bad puns funny!

And yet...

And yet they said he had helped them feel so much better! For being so clumsy and accidentally sending them both across the snow! What a great accidental achievement! Surely he could excuse the puns...?

"I-I am... glad to have helped...?"

The Royal Judge's mask shifted back to normal, an oddly intimidating grin etched on the place where a mouth would be. For all Papyrus knew, the Royal Judge could have a mouth on their sternum, or their shoulder.

"It was slightly my fault, too. I should have been careful with..." The Royal Judge's eyes looked so surprised. Papyrus had a feeling he knew exactly what had made them pause.

"The books.  _Oh no_."

They scrambled to peer around his arm, and then the blue gravity magic disappeared from around him. Papyrus stabilized his stance, digging his heels in the snow as the Royal Judge used their magic to collect the fallen books. Papyrus immediately recognized them as story books. He wondered what the Royal Judge needed with story books, when they clearly displayed an interesting aptitude for complex puzzle magic.

Could they also find the morals of story books a good read?

The Royal Judge piled them at their side, hovering over the ground by a feet, and they started checking each one. When any of them seemed wet, they dried it up with magic, sucking up the moisture and placing it back into the snow.

Then Papyrus saw the Royal Judge opening one of his favourites, a Fluffy Bunny version about planting stars in the sky and gaining friends in different planets.

"That story always reminds me of the other Fluffy Bunny story where they travelled back in time to save Pouty Puppy from the fleas," he murmured to himself quietly.

The Royal Judge's hooded head snapped up, and there was a gasp of surprise coming from their direction.

"Wait," they breathed out, gripping the storybook a little too tightly. "Could you repeat that, please?"

Papyrus felt the flush of magic under his broken mask and he fiddled with the rare mask nervously. "That... Story. The book you have in your hands right now. It reminds me of that time Fluffy Bunny went back in time to save Pouty Puppy from the Rude Fleas."

"Back in time," the Royal Judge repeated, sounding relieved and surprised. Their cloak blurred with magic, and bright stars scattered across the fabric, the background of dark pink turning into a deep, bluish darkness.

Papyrus felt blindsided by the sudden change. "Is... Is something the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

Papyrus felt worried. What if he had said the wrong thing and offended them? What if they would never become his friend for being saying the wrong thing?!

"No," they replied giddily. Papyrus felt a little confused, wondering exactly what he said to incite this kind of reaction from the Royal Judge. "You've said exactly the right thing!"

The Royal Judge shut the storybook and placed it on top of their pile. They hurriedly untangled their constellation scarf and the glow of their magic surrounded the pile of books. The books disappeared in a blinding light.

The Royal Judge appeared before him suddenly and Papyrus forced himself to stay still when their hands went around him and wrapped their scarf around his neck. Dazed, he blinked owlishly when the Royal Judge hugged him so suddenly, their magic expressing triumphant joy.

"You must be a  _gift_ from the stars!" the Royal Judge exclaimed in excitement and breathless relief, gripping him by the ribs more tightly. " _Thank you!_  You can have this scarf, too. I made it when I first saw the stars. You definitely deserve this!"

Papyrus gaped as they pulled away abruptly, chains and bells jingling and cloak of stars billowing behind them as they sprinted across the snow with gravity magic surrounding their boots. It looked like they were headed back to Waterfall, where Papyrus had seen them worry about–

 _No_.

Could it be? Could he have somehow, accidentally, helped the Royal Judge break their mental block?

Wowie...

Papyrus blushed heavily under his crumbling mask. He tucked masked chin underneath the moving stars of his new scarf.

' _What a very generous character!_ '

"Did you  _see_ that?!" Papyrus heard someone exclaim in a loud whisper.

He realized, then,  _exactly_ where he was standing.

Right next to the Librarby, where he had been about to search for information regarding monster runes and symbols.

In front of all the monsters that could be awake in the middle of the day.

Fans of the Royal Judge.

"That was the  _Royal Judge_ , right?"

"Who's that  _monster_ they gave all those stuff to?"

"Did you see what happened when they bumped to each other? Their cloak changed pink! And then there are stars on it! The monster made the  _Royal Judge's_ cloak change colours!"

"They were  _holding hands_! Oh, they looked so cute!"

Papyrus blushed under the onslaught of curious loud whispers. When he heard the whispers change into lines of questioning him about his identity, he did what the Royal Judge had done.

He wrapped his boots in gravity magic and ran back to Waterfall, switching his mask for the new one in a blink of an eye.

There was  _no way_ they would believe who it was underneath the mask. There was also no way that Papyrus would simply allow anyone to discover his secret identity!

•••

"That's it!" Sans breathed in awe, watching as the machine relayed him information in code form.

The results were greatly  _promising_.

Each nuance that appeared in their time stream, each flux that showed even the slightest of change, each time the anomalies moved near together and far apart... It was all displayed in so much detail.

Sans could read the notes the machine made with ease. If it hadn't been for that monster and the Fluffy Bunny books, he would still be stuck with the machine's codes, trying to reconfigure the structure until he found out what the late Prince Asriel had done in order to reset the timeline.

He discovered it the moment he had changed the code, inspired by the words of the mysterious monster he had bumped into the snow. The one whose hands he had held like an idiot because they impact had turned his cloak a pink colour and he had been shocked when he had noticed it.

Then he had been worried because it was like the monster had damaged their voice, nodding and shaking their head like they had swallowed their tongue, never really saying a word until he had asked again about the state of their health.

Sans shook his head, trying to wipe the blush away from his cheekbones. No, he should stop thinking about that.

It was a  _one-_ time thing. There was no way he had shared a mental harmony with a complete stranger.

He had thought about exchanging ideas with Papyrus, but to suddenly be helped by a complete stranger who did not share Sans’ bond with his brother? By complete chance of knowing a story book? It was impossible... And yet, here he was, viewing the files he made about the timelines being consumed.

Asriel had consumed a timeline in order to reset time, causing the future of those 'resets' to collapse back to the previous 'starting point', except they were not the original starting point.

The Prince with Chara's SOUL had not actually reset the timeline. They had gone back only milliseconds by milliseconds on the moment they combined their power, each time they reset. It was  _exponential_. Or maybe something like a blind dart game. They never actually reached the exact moment they joined because they could never reach the zero point, like a horizontal asymptote with the y-value equals zero.

Or not equals zero. They could never reach zero, only getting lower by the decimal. Always an infinity, unless something nudged the power in the right (or wrong) direction.

It was an infinite cycle. A proof that the  _power_ of the Red Mage's reincarnation had evolved enough to play with the structure of their universe, to play with time and space.

Each RESET erased its future. When Asriel had first RESET, he broke the previous future of the timeline and started at the 'beginning' of the time he gained the powers. Along with it came the SAVE points, little reset-like phenomenon where Asriel had left an anchor to return whenever he wanted to reset to the point.

Sans had stopped the resets in time, but he had been nearly too late. Asriel had scared the humans above. He could only hope that enough time had passed for humanity to forget the Prince's appearance.

They, Chara and the Prince, had died. All because they had planned a foolish plan to wipe out humanity. If only he had been nosier and found those tapes before the two children died, maybe he could have saved them.

It made him feel a little regretful, if not for a fact that stardust was something to be expected. Sometimes wisdom really made a difference, but he could tell he would never want to live without his brother...

And then Alphys had experimented with Determination, the will of power that made a human SOUL stronger than monster SOULs. Unlike monsters that lived long lives depending on their power, humans had shorter lives. They always strived to make the best of it. It was probably why Alphys named it determination.

Determination... He had felt it the first time when the Winged Monarch threw him in a different universe in order to make him ( _suffer_ ) learn how to summon the shade of red magic from the white of his SOUL as a part of ( _torture_ ) training.

It took him seeing the edgy version of his brother get dusted to make it happen. They had met a human in the Underground that had dusted monsters left and right. The moment the edgy Papyrus went down, Sans had felt the red clouds of determination.

He had also discovered  _that_ world lacked Naming Ceremonies. And he discovered that Sans would have been his name, had his Papyrus gotten the time to time him.

He had joined forces with the edgy version of himself and helped defeat the human.

Then the human had reset. It wasn't his first time experiencing it, but the lack of information regarding the power made him feel unprepared.

He had felt his determination take shape much more sharply like the way his mind could analyze problems and detect anomalies in a second.

Something had happened when his magic made contact with the red SOUL of the human. Somehow, he had accidentally placed their powers into his edgier version, who discovered that there was a great downside to the powers – an evil SOUL had been possessing the human, whispering lies and urging the human to kill.

He had felt a little lucky that the Winged Monarch had given him a protective mask engraved with sealing magic to prevent possession. Not only did it keep his identity, but he could easily pass as an ordinary monster without being possessed. Even his edgier self had not recognized their similarities.

Although... that may have been from his counterpart's lack of knowledge of Winged Monarchs throwing innocent napping monsters into a different universe so suddenly.

Sans heard the machine beep and he beamed happily, moving his hand to his covered neck, glad that he had worn his collar up before he gave away the first scarf he had ever made with magic.

It felt so worth it, giving it away. Especially after seeing the machine come alive with information and printing him concrete results. If the machine had failed, he would have had resorted to blending his magic into dangerous places and trying to pinpoint where the power had gone.

But now, he had a machine to tell him exactly where it went.

It was on the Surface, located several countries away from Mt. Ebott.

He sighed in relief, and then turned back to the books on the counter next to the door to his inner lab. He took another look towards the machine before grabbing the topmost book about space bunnies.

He had SOULs to entertain. Asgore couldn't even make the right voices even if he had a voice-changing mask to help him.

•••

' _What an amazing feeling!_ ' Papyrus thought to himself, having already changed back into his regular attire after finding a safe contained field. He had no need to sneak back home, however. ' _Meeting the Royal Judge... I should write down this day!_ '

Sans had left a note about his absence, stating that someone had needed his help. He had left a container of food in the fridge, filled with something that looked like lasagna. It also had a note and a pun about it tasting  _grate._

Papyrus had half a mind to chuck the note into Sans’ self-sustaining tornado. Only his curiosity about the fan page update had saved the note from its prolonged death.

Still...

Papyrus smiled at the scarf on the bed, on top of it the beautiful mask that the Royal Judge had spontaneously given him. Both items they had given him were related to astronomy. The little constellations on them had shifted to its normal location on a star chart right after Papyrus had looked again.

The previous arrangements... Could it have meant something? If so, what could it possibly be? Or did they simply have favourites...?

He had no idea. They must truly like stars a lot to have so much fixation on them, what with their cloak brightening with stars like a thousand light-bulbs–

Papyrus froze in front of the computer. 

' _Like a thousand light-bulbs..._ ' he repeated. 

Could it be that the cloak had a connection with the Royal Judge's mental state? Or perhaps their emotional state? Both? Was it another way to express themselves without the use for facial expressions?

He eyed the loading page with new goals brimming in his skull. Body language, colour theory, symbolism... He had many things to research. Good thing there was a fan page about the Royal Judg–

Papyrus’s face flushed with magic as he stared at the blurry image uploaded on the page, then felt horrified at the title of the uploaded image, along with the following article.

_–––_

**_THE JUDGE HOLDING HANDS WITH THEIR MERCY!_ **

_[Image1]_

_This just in, a blurry picture of our mysterious Royal Judge holding hands with an equally mysterious cloaked and masked person! Witnesses say they have seen them collide, turning the Royal Judge's cloak a pale pink._

_No one has ever done such a thing before!_

_Witnesses also mention that the Royal Judge had used their magic – THEIR MAGIC! – to help our fallen Mercy, who had been dazed from the impact._

_[Image2]_

_Poor Mercy. That must have been quite a trip!_

_Furthermore, witnesses saw the Royal Judge giving the black-cloaked person a mask with the signature Delta rune, one that was heard to be named, 'Mask of Mercy', and along with it came the scarf that the Royal Judge was seen to be wearing! Both items are now in the possession of this mysterious monster, who had been graciously hugged by our illustrious Royal Judge before they left in a hurry towards Waterfall, their cloak filled with beautiful stars._

_[Image3] [Image4]_

_[Image5] [Image6]_

_[Image7]_

_Monsters at Waterfall recalled seeing the Royal Judge running towards an unknown destination. Afterwards, they were seen walking towards the Capital._

_[Image8]_

_Mercy, our new mysterious masked monster, had escaped to the same area near Waterfall, but there are witnesses that say they never saw them leave._

_Could the Royal Judge's Mercy actually be a monster from Waterfall? Who are they, exactly? What is their relationship with the Royal Judge?_

_Keep your eyes open, friends! It seems like the Royal Judge is quite taken with their Mercy!_

_–––_

Oh gods.

They had made an  _inaccurate_ article about his meeting with the Royal Judge. The actual meeting had been twisted! The story was filled with holes, lacking proof of his alter-ego being connected to the Royal Judge.

The article was a complete mess, but the viewers were eating it up! What a horrible article! To think that it would be so... Flimsy! And yet it gained so much following!

And they called his alter-ego as Mercy!

Sans would have a mental breakdown if he found out about this! Papyrus eyed the fan page nervously, wondering if he should use his knowledge of hacking in order to fix everything about the article.

He placed the tips of his phalanges over the keyboard, ready to edit the article.

And then he realized it.

He had an  _alter-ego_.

The Royal Judge's fans had  _named_ his alter-ego. They lacked  _information_ about his alter-ego's involvement with the Royal Judge. He had to do the right thing and straighten up their story.

He created a new account on the fan page.

 **Username:** _Mercy_  
**Location:** Unknown  
**Description:** The monster that is not in any way connected to the Royal Judge.

Then he perused all the skills his brother had taught him and simply added an edit to the article. Then, he started typing.

 **_Edit:_ ** _Dearest fans of the Royal Judge, I am here to inform you that your article is greatly lacking..._

_I am not in any way connected to the Royal Judge. I have met them only in happenstance, as you can see in the images. I had been walking to the Librarby to read books. Unfortunately, the Royal Judge had come out and we had both stood on icy ground. I slipped and fell, bringing down the Royal Judge with me._

_I was dazed from the fall, and equally dazed at who I had just brought down with me. The Royal Judge had been worried about my health and comforted me with healing magic. Then they helped me up. They were still worried, so they did not let go of my hands. When they noticed my broken mask, as you can see from image seven, they offered the mask of Mercy. I attempted to deny it, but they were firm in their decision, so I had accepted._

_They had picked up their books, and one of them I recognized from my childhood. I mentioned a nostalgic memory, and my words triggered an idea in their mind. They thanked me by giving me the scarf and hugging me, and then ran towards Waterfall._

_That is all there is to know._

_Sincerely,_

Mercy

_Note 1: If you try to find my UndernetCode, please know that it will lead to many dead ends._

_Note 2: Please try to get the full story before you post up an article. I felt so confused when I discovered this!_

•••

Papyrus blinked when he heard his phone beeping by the side of his mouse. He shook away the code from his mind, realizing that he had lost an hour in his determination to make the Royal Judge's fans learn nothing about him.

He removed his hands from the keyboard, and paused his mission to place the fiftieth layer of protection on his location. He had made the Royal Judge's fans scramble long enough. It was probably time to allow them to realize that he had planted decoy after decoy of dead ends. There was  _nothing_ to find, not even a little note. Sans’ tricks had made sure that he could never be found.

He checked his phone and saw that Sans had sent him a message through their private messaging program.

 **_Sans  
_ ** _* will be home in a few seconds, paps. i hope you're hungry, cause i got you some of those mtt steaks. it doesn't look greasy._

Papyrus beamed. The lasagna, while surprisingly delicious as it completely filled his HP, was not enough. Somehow, he still felt some hunger!

 **_Papyrus  
_ ** _* Thank you, Sans! I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I'll meet you downstairs right now._

Papyrus pocketed his phone in the black hoodie and logged out of the page. He shut down his computer and stood up. He left his room and descended the stairs.

The door opened and Sans came inside, blue jacket covered in frost. He shook away the little fluffs of snow and lifted his head, smiling when Papyrus met his sockets.

"hey, pap." Sans lifted up a thermal bag. Papyrus walked towards him and grabbed the bag, allowing Sans to pocket his hands and look up to him. "i got us some food. you want to try out the new mtt steaks?"

Papyrus nodded eagerly, curious how the MTT Steaks would taste. He had no idea why he was feeling so hungry! He had eaten a slice of lasagna, but even if it had filled him up, there was that feeling of energy inside him, constantly urging him forward despite being tired.

Mentally, he could say he could do anything, but rolling himself on cables had been surprisingly both refreshing and tiring. There was something about it that–

"oh, hey," Sans interrupted his thoughts. His brother sounded much happier than normal. How unusual! "it seems like you had fun today. you got your endurance and speed up. was it a harder training?"

Papyrus blinked in shock at his brother's insight.

Of course! His endurance had gone up from all the cable rolling he had done, along with his speed. He must have reached another level of skill from the new exercise he had done. It was unfamiliar enough to give him extra stats!

"paps, you okay?" Sans questioned, patting a hand on his sternum. Papyrus nodded, but his brother looked both worried and calculating. "you look like you're tired. maybe we should eat."

"YOU ARE CORRECT, SANS! THE NEW TRAINING HAD EXHAUSTED ME, BUT IT WAS SO REFRESHINGLY NEW!" Papyrus grabbed his brother's hand and led them to the table.

His brother followed along, looking so perplexed, but his eyelights were sharply searching. Papyrus tried to ignore the probing eyelights burning his bones.

"paps, you went on another info gathering?"

A statement, despite sounding like a question. It meant that Sans was positive he had gone to gather information and only wanted him to confirm if he actually did go out to gather information.

Papyrus fidgeted with the pet rock, moving it near the wall as he placed the thermal bag on the space he made on the table. Even if MTT Resort was so far away, somehow the food Sans brought from one of his jobs always tasted fresh out of the kitchen.

He unpacked the meal, taking out the containers and separating them equally. Sans waited patiently for his answer, already having pulled out the stools from under the table.

Papyrus sat down and let go of his brother's hand. Sans eyed him expectantly as he split the cutlery between them. (Where had his brother hidden those?)

"I did go out to gather information," he said slowly, trying to summarize his hectic adventure. Sans smiled gently, sockets half-lidded with calm, and Papyrus relaxed. "It was so eventful, Sans! I didn't get bored! You were right about having many hobbies so I can always learn new things!"

His brother looked relieved. "that's great, pap. am i allowed to ask what happened, or...?"

"NO!" Papyrus denied quickly, earning him his brother's raised browridge. "I mean... Tell me about  _your_ day, first! How in the world were you able to get steaks from MTT Resort?"

Sans’ eyelights turned to the container of food. Papyrus popped one open and started eating, waiting for his brother's reply.

"you know that gig i mentioned the other night?"

Papyrus nodded, remembering Sans saying he had a new temporary job somewhere at Waterfall.

Sans continued, "someone heard me joking around at grillby's while i was drinking my ketchup. they kind of noticed how many people i brought to grillby's bar with my jokes and they hired me to do a session at the resort. i asked them to pay me with mtt stuff, cause i know you like those, and they did. i got us food."

Papyrus felt deeply impressed. While Sans’ bad puns made him cringe inside, his other good jokes  _always_ made a great impression. Those jokes made Papyrus laugh uncontrollably!

"WOWIE, SANS! THAT SOUNDS AMAZING!" Papyrus took another bite of his steak and realized that it tasted so good. He felt ridiculous, failing to savour his food like it deserved. MTT food needed that kind of respect! "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING US FOOD! I HAVE NOT REALIZED WHY I WAS SO HUNGRY."

Sans snorted. "heh. welp, you should have seen the resort when the royal judge came in. i think they were doing another practice for a new drama, cause mettaton was there, singing to the royal judge about flowers smelling nice and bees–"

Papyrus nearly choked on his next swallow. He stared at his brother with wide sockets, realizing that the obliviousness of the Royal Judge displayed towards their fans was true, if even his ever-observant brother, Sans, could not tell that Mettaton had been serenading the Royal Judge.

Could it be not simple obliviousness? Could it be that the efforts of the fans to be noticed was simply overlooked as a kind gesture? Sans could never even notice the admirers he had from the bar. So many monsters had yearned after his brother, who only saw kind gestures instead of romantic ones.

Papyrus had been the same way, but after knowing that the Royal Judge was in the dark about their fans, he realized what had happened in the past and what look those monsters had sent his brother.

"–and you would have liked the song, i think. he mentioned some really romantic stuff. i wonder if he's doing a show about science and romance... that would be a good idea, right– uh, paps, you have sauce on your jaw there.”

Papyrus hastily wiped a napkin to his jaw, wondering where Sans had hidden it. He felt disbelief that, while Sans could recognize romance when he viewed it from afar, his brother could be so blind when it was up close and in relation to him. As if his brother could not comprehend that anyone would like him romantically.

"What else happened?" Papyrus urged, curious about his brother's observations about the Royal Judge.

Sans looked at him, sockets narrowed in contemplation. "well, mettaton handed the royal judge new boots and they thanked him for the gift. then they quickly took off."

Sans leaned an elbow on the table and turned to him, eyelights dancing over his attire. Papyrus felt his eyes catching onto the black hoodie. He tried not to fidget nervously when Sans’ grin faltered, then widened.

"paps, i gotta ask," Sans said lowly, leaning his skull closer. His brother's gaze flickered to his sternum. "is that my hoodie...?"

Papyrus broke, wringing his hands with guilt. "SANS, I AM SO SORRY I BORROWED IT WITHOUT PERMISSION! I PROMISE I'LL PUT IT BACK!"

Sans leaned back abruptly, hands raised as if to stop him from shoving the black hoodie into his arms. "paps, no!" Sans said, loudly but gently. He reached for the food and popped open the lid of his container. "it's fine. you can borrow my clothes whenever you want. anything at all, you can have it. i don't mind, actually. you look cool right now."

Papyrus puffed up his chest. "OF COURSE I DO, SANS! I LOOK GOOD IN ANYTHING!"

Sans’ grin turned mischievous. Papyrus narrowed his sockets.

"even in–"

"EVEN IN TOMATO SAUCE!" Papyrus cut off before his brother could bring up other bad clothes day he could remember in the past. "AND PAINT," he added quickly, seeing his brother open his teeth again.

Sans smiled, and then started eating the steak, cutting it into little pieces. Papyrus sighed in relief, glad he had sufficiently distracted his brother from–

"don't think you're going to get away from telling me about your day,  _papsy_. distractions like this won't work on me."

–telling him about his day.

Papyrus deflated a little. Perhaps he had been underestimating his brother's lazy observations again. There was no way his brother could miss anything that happened to him. When it came to the littlest things, his brother would note it down and ask later at an appropriate time.

Even if the littlest thing was an infatuation on Mettaton. His brother had asked about it years after the moment Sans had discovered it existed, then his brother narrated the day he had noticed that Papyrus had been looking every five seconds to a magazine of Mettaton.

Sans could be noticing things  _now_ and he could bring up several  _years_ in the future. With all the details that would be terrifyingly accurate.

Papyrus would have felt slightly intimidated by Sans’ mental acuity if not for a fact that Sans would always give him puzzles to allow him to rebuild things from memory. Sans liked to ask about the puzzle  _years_ later. It had made him panic, the first time it had happened. Papyrus would somehow muster up the memory of the puzzle and accurately describe every detail.

He had an idea that his brother liked pranking him through space and time. Sans probably had his memories written down in a book somewhere, dated in advanced so he could ask Papyrus terrifyingly perceptive questions and intimidate him with his mind.

Papyrus had a sense that he could be both overestimating and underestimating his brother.

Papyrus sighed when Sans simply stared at him while eating, obviously waiting for an answer.

"Well, to start... I..." Papyrus trailed off, eyes darting in their bare house for an answer.

"paps..." Sans stated in warning, sockets narrowed.

When he saw the thermal bag, he had an idea.

"Ah! I could  _show_ you!" Papyrus exclaimed, standing abruptly, pushing the stool away and startling his brother.

Sans looked at him with wide sockets, gripping his container of food tightly to his chest. "paps, what has gotten–"

"WAIT HERE, SANS! EAT SOME OF THE MTT STEAK WHILE I GET SOMETHING FROM MY ROOM!"

Papyrus ran to his room, nearly tripping up the stairs as he took two step at a time, and he burst into his room and hastily grabbed the beautiful mask while he wrapped the starry scarf around his neck.

He exited his room in excitement, clutching his prizes close to his chest.

He saw Sans concentrating on his food, moving around peas and carrots into separate corners and picking them off one by one. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Sans looked up in curiosity.

"THE ROYAL JUDGE GAVE THESE TO ME!" Papyrus showed off the scarf and lifted the mask to the side of his skull.

Sans’ sockets widened, then his face flushed with magic and he started choking on his food.

Papyrus nearly dropped the mask in his haste to reach his brother. He kneeled on the floor next to Sans, who had fallen off the stool from their violent reaction to choking.

"SANS! Sans, are you all right? What happened?" Papyrus’s one hand grabbed his brother's arm, shaking him. "Did you not chew your food properly? Sans. Sans! Answer me!"

"i-i..." Sans coughed, swatting his worried hands away from his arms. Papyrus pulled away and glowered at his brother in concern. His brother tried to wave him off, but he did not budge. "i'm fine, p-paps. i tried to swallow and my magic acted up from surprise and i started choking."

Papyrus thought about his brother's words, while also thinking about his own reaction at realizing he had fallen on top of the Royal Judge. It made perfect sense!

"I suppose knowing that I have met the Royal Judge would be surprising. Even more  _surprising_ are the gifts they gave me! And so spontaneously!"

Sans’ face was still flushed with magic, his eyelights nervously eyeing with wide, stunned sockets the constellations on the scarf. Papyrus wondered what he saw, if he could decode the symbolism behind the changing of positions of the constellations. Sans knew about stars, but could he know anything besides the patterns and their structures?

" _oh boy_ ," Sans breathed in a high-pitched tone. Papyrus blinked at the change in his brother's voice. "yeah! t-that's  _definitely_ surprising!"

"I know!" Papyrus exclaimed in excitement, patting the soft scarf tenderly, blushing when he remembered the Royal Judge had hugged him after giving him the scarf. "They accidentally gave me matching gifts! Who knew the Royal Judge could be so generous? I was about to go home after realizing they had decided to change their usual routine, but I accidentally collided into them at Snowdin! I thought they would know I was following them, but they didn't–"

"you were  _following_ the royal judge?" Sans squeaked as his gaze locked onto Papyrus’s sockets.

If Papyrus had lips, he would have used them to pout.

"Yes, Sans!" Papyrus said, exasperated. To think that he had thought Sans had a sharp memory! "I want to be the Royal Judge's friend! Remember? I told you I was going to observe them in their natural habitat!"

"i thought you meant in public!" Sans replied, palming his blushing cheekbones as he looked away, expression rattled and shy.

Papyrus frowned at his brother's unusual reaction. "Sans, I didn't mean in public. I meant covert!"

"o-oh, uh, really? i, uh, would have never thought you'd do that." Sans laughed shakily and Papyrus was starting to wonder if the steak his brother ate was contaminated by something serious.

"Sans... Are you okay with me following the Royal Judge?" Papyrus asked softly, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. His brother flinched at the sudden contact. Papyrus felt deeply concerned. "I could stop–"

"it's n-not that i'm telling you to stop," Sans hastily added, glancing back at him, smiling shyly and patting the hand on his shoulder. "it's just... uh, i didn't... uh... um..."

His brother looked even more panicky. It looked like... Papyrus’s sockets widened. His brother was hyperventilating! Even if they had no need for breathing!

"Sans, slowly," Papyrus urged, increasingly worried about his brother's flustered state. He repeated old words that had been said to him in the past. "Breathe a little more deeply. Try to narrow down what you want to say. One word at a time."

Sans laughed in a high-pitched tone. "p-pap, i just need a moment to comprehend everything right now. give me a minute."

Papyrus waited patiently as his brother struggled to compose himself, breathing slowly until the magic vibrating under his bones settled into a calm and stable pace. It took his brother less than a minute to come down from his panicked stated.

"okay, i'm good," Sans replied, eyelights settling back to glance at him. "okay. lay it on me, bro. tell me everything."

Papyrus swiftly narrated his whole day, leaving out the ways he had managed to be there in every location. From the moment he had left the house to go to Hotland, to the short scene at Waterfall, where Papyrus admitted to seeing the Royal Judge's SOUL.

"I had not meant to," he said guiltily. His brother looked unconcerned about what he had seen, simply patting his hand in a consoling manner. "I swear, Sans, I did not mean to see them so exposed like that."

"that's fine, pap. i know you're sorry. you didn't mean to see them like that. it was an accident. both of you didn't expect it."

Papyrus nodded, relieved that his brother was not angry. Then, he explained bumping into the Royal Judge and his clumsy attempt to apologize, adding the part where he had been given the items in question.

"wait." Sans raised a hand. "paps, wait."

Papyrus paused. "Yes?"

"you keep calling them the royal judge," Sans explained. Papyrus shrugged, nodding. "you know you can give them a nickname, right? if you were spying on them, you need to give them a code name, because anyone can just overhear our conversation."

Papyrus gasped, horrified at his lack of code names. "You're right, Sans," he whispered in shock. "I have been neglecting that important detail in my spying!"

Sans nodded sagely. "it's okay, pap. at least you know now. there's still time to give them a code name."

Papyrus thought about calling the Royal Judge a code name and he slowly shook his head. "Sans, I don't know..." Papyrus waved a hand to his scarf, feeling the flush of magic in his facial bones. "It feels rude to give them a code name without myself knowing them. Or them knowing me."

Sans slowly started to grin.

Papyrus eyed him warily.

"you can just call them the judge. no need for that royal stuff. that's what asgore calls them."

"It still feels wrong!" Papyrus insisted, one hand clutching onto the scarf. "Besides, I don't even know them!"

"not yet," Sans added, smiling in amusement. Papyrus groaned at the look of mischief on his face. "but that doesn't mean you can't name them in your head."

"NO," Papyrus stated firmly. "I will not."

"aww. c'mon, paps!"

" _No!_  Finish your dinner!"

"fine. maybe i'll go around and suggest nicknames. what about rj? or maybe something like... maskalot?"

Papyrus felt his smile twitch. "Sans."

"yes, bro?"

"We should finish our  _dinner_."

"whew, that expression on your face bro... what kinda movies you got that from?"

" _Sans_."

"i'm up, i'm up."

Sans stood from the floor and Papyrus followed after. They took a seat on the stool and continued to eat their dinner. After minutes of side-glancing each other and trying to stop Sans from making so many food puns, they were nearly done.

Papyrus finished his last bite and turned to his brother, curiosity brimming in his mind. "Sans, why did you panic earlier?"

Sans’ laughter was nearly hysterical.

"paps... bro, you don't want to know."

Papyrus glowered at his brother.

Sans beamed at him, although nervously. There was magical sweat on his skull. "well, i think i was so surprised about what you've been doing. never expected you to be spying on the judge. now i know it, i won't be as surprised about your spying days."

Papyrus frowned, but accepted the answer. He had a suspicion that Sans had been temporarily thinking of worst-case scenarios when Papyrus admitted to spying on the Royal Judge. Perhaps he had been worried that Papyrus would get discovered.

"I won't be found out," Papyrus reassured, determination filling him inside. Sans blinked owlishly, and then smiled gently when Papyrus grinned at him. "It wouldn't be good to end a mission like this so quickly."

"paps, you're so cool," his brother whispered. Sans cleared his intangible throat. "but, uh, you better be back here by bedtime. i mean, who will help me read all those story books that i borrowed from the librarby? they got new copies of stuff."

"Really?!"

"uh, yeah." His brother ducked his head and grinned. "something like that."

"LET'S GO TO SLEEP NOW!" Papyrus commanded.

Sans chuckled. "pap, it's not even–"

Both of their phones rang in unison, signalling bedtime. Sans looked surprised and pulled out his phone. Papyrus shut his alarm, equally stunned at how much time had passed by without him being aware.

"well, would you look at that," Sans mused. Papyrus beamed, greatly excited for a new story. "i guess you're right, pap. go straight to your room. i'll deal with the dishes and come up once i'm done."

" _You_?" Papyrus gasped. Sans looked over at his shoulder to give him a wink. "Wash the dishes?  _Wowie_! Sans, you're being less lazy than ever!"

Blue magic surrounded their containers and utensils.

"Never mind! What in the world was I thinking? You are still my lazybones brother." Papyrus sighed. He heard Sans laughing as he made everything float to the kitchen. Including his lazybones self. "I'm going to head upstairs!"

"watch those steps, bro. you know those stairs are always up to something."

"NYEEEEH, SANS! NO PUNS AT BEDTIME!"

Papyrus retreated to his room, far away from Sans and his puns. He needed to hide all the Royal Judge mission equipment.

* * *

 

" _holy stars_ ," Sans gasped after he heard Papyrus’s door slam shut, leaning his spine on the kitchen's counter, clutching his ribs with his arms. "i didn't even notice. is he...?"

Sans covered his blushing face with his trembling hands, remembering the pattern of constellations on his brother's scarf, and the planets that had passed by without Papyrus noticing, the meaning of the symbols so clear.

His brother was really,  _really_ curious about the Judge. Sans could only hope that the signs of curiosity would fade after a while. His brother got bored by routine, even if he always tried to go through it determinedly.

Sans wilted internally when he remembered the way Papyrus had complimented the Judge's character. Maybe a few months?

Papyrus would probably get bored after a few months.

So long as his brother never found the chance to notice the little signs of his infatuation with the  _Judge_.

 _Him_. Sans, the  _Royal Judge_.

"stars," Sans muttered under his breath. "when i asked for something new to happen, i meant some kind of new science thing. not  _this_!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes mine. Everything. 
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Also, thanks to all those who dropped a kudos on their way and those who handed comments in the boxes.
> 
> I really appreciate the _guest_ ure.  
> I mean it! I thought at first that this would just be a dummyfic where I just write things for myself, but now, you guys get to share parts of my brain child, too!
> 
> Just for that, I'm thinking when I reach a personal goal of mine, I'll hand off the tiny fic I'm making of Sans and Papyrus if Papyrus hadn't admitted to being the person the Judge bumped into. 
> 
> Because I'm so happy! I reached 140 kudos! For some reason. No idea what reason, but whoa, guys! Thanks!
> 
> Also, I call him the Great and Merciful Papyrus. Heh heh heh.


	7. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans had to admit that he feeling a little… jealous – of himself.

**_Undyne  
_ ** _Meet me tomorrow for a double training session! You really did great today! I never knew you could move so quickly, so you have to!_

Papyrus stared at the text with hesitation, musing if he should actually join her tomorrow for double training or skip it all together to follow the Royal Judge.

It had taken him a long while to finally familiarize himself with the Royal Judge’s schedule. There had been times where they disappeared into darker parts of the Underground, and sometimes they appeared elsewhere. When the Royal Judge met with their fans, their common adoration flew over their double-hood. The Royal Judge had simply greeted them and turned around, then walked off to do judge work while they had the time.

Papyrus had nearly groaned in disbelief when the fan page posted a picture of the Royal Judge turning away from adoring followers, who all looked so ecstatic that the Royal Judge had noticed them. There had been an immediate influx of comments regarding the Royal Judge’s strange obliviousness concerning their fans. Many of them were very dramatic (and they seemed to be coming from one undernet address), but most of them had claimed they admired that the fans were keeping stealthy. Others… well, they were a little rude. It hadn’t been worth mentioning, but he didn’t remember how many times he had to click the report button.

He decided to send back a quick reply.

 **_PAPYRUS  
_ ** _THANK YOU, UNDYNE! I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT MY EFFORTS HAS FINALLY PAID OFF! I WOULD GLADLY JOIN YOU FOR A DOUBLE TRAINING SESSION TOMORROW!_

Papyrus adjusted the climbing harness around his body, trying not to wince as it scraped delicately on his sensitive bones. He knew he should have simply allowed himself to train in a much more sedate manner with Undyne, but he had been so excited to follow the Royal Judge! Who knew helping them defeat their mental block would end up with him gaining a new mask and scarf? Certainly not him! It was a curious thing to do, and Papyrus was most determined to find out just what the Royal Judge was hiding!

It had been a surprise to see the mask on his desk when he had woken up. He had thought he had dreamed that embarrassing and yet sweet moment when the Royal Judge had gifted him the mask. He had felt his face blush so brightly at the sight of it, remembering the way the Royal Judge had stared at him intently, as if there was nothing else in the world to see, and as if there was really something special about the Great Papyrus.

After the day of his misfortune and fortune with the Royal Judge's schedule, they finally went back to their normal routine. They had appeared at all the places that Papyrus had noted down. He had seen them at Hotland, observed them at Waterfall as they relaxed inside the circle of nine echo flowers, dozing off into a nap after infusing each flower with a different type of magic.

Today, the Royal Judge returned to the echo flowers to do their meditation. Earlier they had been pacing outside the contained field a little too aggressively. They had seemed so troubled in the past few days, a seeming pensiveness surrounding them, staining their cloak with a stormy mix of dark clouds. However, once each day neared its end, the clouds would slowly dissipate and turn back into its basic white colour.

It confused him to no end. He had no idea how the fabric could be affected by their inner thoughts. He had thought it they had solved the mystery of their problem, but what if they had more puzzles to solve? What if the Royal Judge had more complications than what normal fans would realize? They seemed to be always trying to solve little scuffles between monsters or safely disconnect a union of SOULs, even if it was largely controversial in the Underground.

What if the Royal Judge had no friends to turn to? Who do they ask for help when they needed an outside opinion? The Royal Judge was such a solitary figure. They had never been seen joking around with anyone, or even just spending time with someone outside work.

The Royal Judge, Papyrus had discovered, had little to no friends. Most of their relationship involved work and even more work. They had acquaintances, not friends. While Papyrus would applaud them for their dedication to work, there were times the Royal Judge had seemed so stressed and tired once the day ended. Their shoulders would have been a little lower than usual, and their cloak would have fluctuating scenes between clear white and a greyish purple.

Papyrus thought a good friend would have distracted them away from their worries, or at least help them solve their problem. However, from what Papyrus observed, the Royal Judge avoided getting close to anyone, even their eager fans. In a crowd full of monsters, Papyrus had no doubt that the Royal Judge would stand away and alone.

Papyrus had the graphs to prove it!

The only reprieve they seem to get from the nine echo flowers was the odd magic they had placed inside them. It made it seem like it was feeding magic into the Royal Judge when it only acted as coloured flowers with different echoed words.

He still was uncertain as to what the echo flowers did to the Royal Judge, but it looked like the Royal Judge would be back in control of their magic and reactions. It was the only consistent result from what Papyrus could observe… _visually_. Since that one time the Royal Judge exposed their SOUL, they had never done it again. He had counted it as the day that they were extremely stressed, far more than usual.

He failed to understand why they avoided getting close to other monsters. Have they not realized the amazing benefits friendship would bring them?

He could only hope that, one day, the Royal Judge would accept a great friend like Papyrus.

•••

It took days for Sans to relax inwardly. Outwardly, he had forced himself to react naturally, attempting not to glance around to try to find his brother's hiding spots. Despite this, he knew he couldn’t stop his thoughts from reflecting all over his cloak. He had never discovered just how his brother was able to spy on him. Papyrus liked to keep his serious projects a secret until he was sure everything would go his way.

It was making Sans a little anxious. He didn’t know how his brother was doing it. He didn’t know if he could handle knowing how his brother could be doing it.

The only moment Papyrus would tell him the technique he used to follow the Judge was near the end of his project. It would have been the instant Papyrus ended the stalking and started a different kind of interaction. (He had been the source of odd glowing paints in the lab when he was still a baby bones, and Sans would not doubt that Papyrus had been the cause of Gaster’s glowing shoes. There had been no one else left in the lab when he had taken a quick check on an experiment.)

He had never felt so relieved to learn his brother's schedule from Undyne, who had been very vocal about his brother's training. She had been following him around the castle, always throwing out challenges and spears. He evaded the challenges and stepped aside from the spears, always an excuse at hand. He didn’t want to fight her. There was no reason to do so.

(The less people knew how the Judge fought, the better. He was, despite his odd power levels, a pacifist at the core. Hurting anyone innocent was not like him.)

He didn't know if Papyrus had been there to see Undyne try to chase him around the courtyard, but he hoped if his brother did find out that Undyne was chasing him around for a fight that he would do his best not to do the same. He didn’t think he would be able to lift a hand against his brother. It was… _unthinkable_. Not to mention it would easily expose him if he managed to do something Sans-like.

Sans had to admit that he feeling a little… jealous – of _himself_.

 _Stars_ , there was no other way to say it. He couldn’t deny it any longer. It was bothering him far more than usual, and it wasn’t about to fade away after only a few days.

It was such a _ridiculous_ thought. He knew he shouldn’t be jealous, because _he_ was the Royal Judge. They were the same monster. They had the same _SOUL_. And yet Papyrus was fascinated by the Royal Judge and leaving the house earlier than normal just to conduct his examinations on their character.

He had nearly spat out ketchup right on the back of Papyrus’s battle body when he had realized it. It was a good thing Papyrus had been walking ahead, never having discovered that Sans had stumbled and had a fit of disbelief and denials. Papyrus had so many goals in life that extended and adapted within the hold of the Underground, but never had he shown an interest to someone like… _him_ as the Royal Judge. He didn’t want to believe it, wishing everything from that night was all a dream, that he hadn’t seen his brother’s growing fascination written all over the scarf.

It created a small measure of uncertainty in his heart, a small seed of pain.

What if his brother slowly drifted away? That had been his first thought when he realized Papyrus skipped their normal MTT-watching to spy on the Judge. At first he had thought Papyrus had some kind of off-day from all his new hobbies, but it turned out to be an entirely different reason altogether. His brother had changed something from his _home_ routine for the Judge. It was no training schedule, no extra work hours with Undyne and her kitchen. It was a routine that Papyrus had established several years ago when he discovered Mettaton’s shows, and he just changed it like it was starting to be uncool. His brother, despite having the sense to get bored of routine, wouldn’t just up and abandon it like that unless he really meant it.

It was his and Sans’ brotherly bonding time of doing nothing (which Sans liked) but watching MTT programmes (which Papyrus usually enjoyed). It was the perfect time they could spend together doing what they both appreciated. Although, they stopped doing that right from the first time Papyrus had declined to watch with him, because his brother had… _much more important plans_. After that, Papyrus had mostly skipped out on the shows, exclaiming that he did not need to laze about in the house and that he had better things to do, that he had a judge to follow around during his and Sans’ bonding time.

It still kind of stung. The one bonding time they had together, and it was pushed aside for Sans’ secret identity. Even if it meant that Sans _could_ still spend time with his brother as the Judge, it still bothered him that Sans, as Papyrus’s brother, had little time spent with Papyrus unless it was storytelling at bedtime.

Papyrus had always idolized so many people in his skeleton life, but never had he wanted to be friends with them. Sure, a crush on Mettaton was to be expected, but the Royal Judge? What could Papyrus find attractive in a person who always hides their identity and manages to mess up their words when comforting angry monsters that wanted to see their judge help their king to get more SOULs?

He didn’t know why Papyrus would be fascinated to someone so… _detached_. The Judge had no close relationship with anyone. Not even the old monarchs had an inkling of his identity. He doubted Gaster could know, not when Sans had a suspicion that the Winged Monarch continued to protect his identity from external oddities, even if they were… away.

Not that it had any way of stopping his brother’s curiosity. If there was one person that Sans felt comfortable in admitting his identity, if would be his brother. But then again, he still hadn’t come around and gotten the chance to do that. His brother was the most _vocal_ , between the two of them. He didn’t know if his secret identity wouldn’t be accidentally revealed.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his brother, but… well, it was hard to let go of _really_ old habits. Being two people at once gave him some knowledge he wouldn’t acquire from elsewhere otherwise. The Royal Judge to hear monsters’ voice, and Sans to hear the everything else that they don’t perceive by integrating himself into the monster society. He could list down the many benefits of having two identities at once, just from his experience in the past.

The Royal Judge was supposed to be a simple title, like a distant relative of a sort. A Royal Judge that was unapproachable, untouchable, but a very patient listener like Sans. Sure, they had the ability to share their magic, the one that could allow other monsters to CHECK each other. And maybe they would lend a hand or ear to those in need, and maybe offer up advice. And yes, he had moments when he simply got bored and spiced up some jokes, but Asgore always had this look on his face that meant he was remembering his ex-wife again. They weren’t supposed to charm Papyrus by accident just because they were mysterious enough.

Okay, so it might have been his fault for being too nice when he bumped into his brother, but it would have been impolite to ignore him! It would be rude. If there was anything Sans learned from his brother, rudeness was not _cool_.

Furthermore, his brother’s spaghetti cooking sessions needed supervision, just in case he decided to add marbles again. Not that it would make a difference to its healing properties. Monsters could eat anything if they ignored the taste. Monster food made by someone who was as devoted as Papyrus could heal up the most severe of damage known to monsterkind. The level of healing properties of monster food depended on the monster’s willingness to heal, protect and to cherish.

Sans groaned in annoyance as he moved into the circle of echo flowers, wishing he had more time to think about his decisions.

He had gotten distracted by his musings, missing out several minutes of his quiet time.

It was another day of meditation. Recalibrating the vibrations of his SOUL so its magic wouldn’t accidentally tangle up with each other while he was busy being a concerned brother and judge. There was only so much free time he could manage to squeeze in to his busy schedule, and this was one of them.

Lately, he’d had the urge to be too determined and accidentally finished most of his paperwork. New monsters had been born, and many of them had needed him to find the strongest link their child had. It took him only half an hour, but that was mostly because the links were somehow mostly located in the capital. The concentration of monster magic in the capital was vastly different from Snowdin’s smaller population. Narrowing down a moving target was not easy when it hid away in a pool of magic that nearly had the same wavelength.

And then it had turned out that the strongest link was someone the parents dated once… at the same time. They got bonded the same day. Right after the Naming of the child (they named the little SOUL Brixer). They had apparently lost contact with each other and never got the courage to call back or leave a message on their emails.

The Royal Judge had to oversee the union because they had been invited very politely, and to decline would turn many eyes to their direction. Asgore had been able to excuse himself because he had other duties (he had mostly spent the time away signing other paperwork and hearing the woes of the monsters that needed their voices heard because the Judge was busy overseeing a bonding). They would speculate on the Judge’s decision and wonder if they were close to the monster triad. Soon, the speculation would overflow and many monsters would try to investigate their relationship with triad. Also, he had little choice but to agree or face an upset triad of badger-snake monsters.

Once reaching the circle, he made himself comfortable in the grassy centre of the echo flowers, trying to calm down his racing mind. After years of practice, it only took a few seconds to immerse himself in the soothing magic. Each flower contained an echo of his magic. Each one had words that reminded him of his trials to gain understanding to the different magic. Each one could ground him, make him much more self-aware. It helped him understand his thought patterns, to realize why his thought process went from a leaf to a ketchup pun.

He could have done the meditation anywhere, but he had wanted privacy, so he had chosen the day Papyrus wanted to train with Undyne and visit Waterfall. Realizing that Papyrus could be watching him while he had finished his rounds had been intimidating. He didn’t want his brother to see him recalibrating his magic. It felt… a little too intimate. There was a chance that the feeling of being watched could make his SOUL manifest to take care of the threat, but his brother was no threat, and he had a nagging suspicion that his SOUL would relax near someone he valued.

The accident with Papyrus seeing his SOUL had just been that: an accident. Sans had been at the near-end of his creativity, most especially with the lack of help and his lack of free time. His SOUL had manifested by itself, knowing that exposure outside had previously allowed it to be much more perceptive. He had been hiding for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to allow himself to acknowledge his surroundings.

He hadn’t counted for Papyrus to be spying on him at that time, so he had allowed the manifestation, hoping it would give him ideas.

Even as the Judge, he had the fear of letting down his brother, or somehow just looking uncool in his brother’s eyes. Tibia honest, he had a sinking fear of being rejected by his brother. He had so many secrets, so many of them important and related to the things in the Underground, including the origin of their bones. He was scared that once Papyrus found out about his secrets that he would be so disappointed. He had kept it from his brother for so long that it was starting to dawn onto him what exactly he had been hiding away from Papyrus.

He wouldn’t be able to handle it.

He tried to relax. He really did. Somehow, the calm would escape him and slip right through his phalanges. He twisted and turned, tried to see if it was his bones that was making him uncomfortable. But no, his magical clothes allowed him full comfort and the lack of pinching cloth between his joints. There wasn’t a reason for it to be uncomfortable. There was no material reason for his discomfort.

He sat up with a frustrated groan, clutching his hoods closer to himself. It was no use. He had ruined his mood with his fears and it made him even more anxious. His mental state was suffering for his fears, and it wasn’t letting go of the thoughts of his brother being so upset at discovering how many secrets Sans had kept from him.

He stood up with a burst of gravity magic, flinging away his cloak into a pocket space that contained most of his Judge attire.

Sans used a shortcut to change clothes, wearing a magic-infused black and white, hoodie designed like a coat with two tails he had added for amusement, along with a simple black pair of harem pants with two white lines on the side like his normal pants. He had worn it when he had first learned to dance for monarch duties, the other monsters not knowing that his clothes were a mix of professional and casual. For his footwear, he wore a pair of high-top shoes with wings on the side, also black and white to complete his style. His gloves were the simplest pair of black gloves he owned, tucked under his sleeves so it wouldn’t slide off.

He wasn’t a complete lazybones when he was the Judge. There would be many questions why he’d suddenly dressed like that odd skeleton comedian from MTT Resort. He didn’t think he could handle his identity being revealed by his dressing too closely to his true identity. There would be great speculation, and maybe they could track the moment he became the Judge just by talking to Asgore. He had a lot of _unbearable_ practice in hiding his identity. He’d made a lot of noticeable mistakes, but those mistakes only taught him to be even more cautious.

There wasn’t a chance for him to mess it up now. He’d seen most of the possibilities that could give up his identity as the Judge. Under the keen eye of the Winged Monarch, he had mastered the art of disguising himself. He was thankful for the many mistakes he had made, especially with his time schedule being exhausting as it turned out to be. Whenever he was tired, he could just disappear somewhere and change his clothes.

Shaking away his thoughts, Sans conjured a blank card with his white magic. He poured all his desire for music into the card, and an image of a musical note bloomed with yellow magic in the center. He stared at the card, sighing wistfully to himself. It had been a while since he’d played an instrument other than a trombone, so he had to settle for dancing.

He probably wasn’t good enough anymore. He had danced only a few times when he had accidentally slipped into another universe where the monsters battled by dancing or by playing an instrument. Otherwise, there were royalty functions that required his supervision and the skill of formal dancing.

He tapped the card on his mask.

The upbeat music spilled from the Delta rune, and the lines on his mask glowed bright yellow just like the musical note. The music conjured was at random, to test himself. Music was another kind of synchronization that allowed him to calm his magic, to organize and disorganize the threads. To have it randomly chosen would force him to improvise and focus on something else besides his thoughts.

He didn’t know what music was summoned, but he played to it, expressing his frustration to the pounding rhythm that came from the symbol of his mask. He braced his hand on the ground, and lifted his body up, and then he shoved gravity magic in his hands to bring himself to the air and land on his boots. He mixed in some ballet to represent a kind of freedom, a little step of waltz to represent his position as a judge. He mixed in some of the mellower styles he knew, because he couldn’t stop himself from feeling frustrated, like most of the world was trying to make his job harder than it already appeared.

He wasn’t that much of a dancer of other variations, but he tried his best to use ever bone in his body to express his days of trying to word his replies to questions that he couldn’t possibly answer. He’d been so mentally exhausted, planning his days meticulously to prevent himself from slipping out of character.

He needed a break like this, just to do nothing but express his inner thoughts into simple movement, to allow the music to distract him and tire him out. He didn’t want anyone to unveil the Judge’s identity. He wanted a time like this for himself, to be free despite his limitations.

He finished the song with a soft sigh, crouching down in the centre of the echo flowers, somehow. He allowed the magic to disperse from his mask.

Sans needed a computer.

It was time to leave puns on his brother’s posts.

However, just as he was leaving the field, he missed the eyelights observing him from a distance, watching his every move, and the slip of a gold coin that tumbled off the dewy grass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel unsatisfied with this one because it didn't feel complete. I had more attached to it, but I cut it off, because numbers of words intimidated some of the readers. 
> 
> Do you guys have a preference for spacing? I could do that if it's easier to read. That one works when I use my word app to type up my stories.
> 
> I usually type longer so my readers can sink into it, but oh well. I'll just post the other chapter later or something.


	8. Opulent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He is the Judge. He helps when they call, he volunteers when they hesitate.
> 
> (Papyrus discovers many things.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to cut a drafted scene from one of my not-posted fics, where Sans is queen. It's... the room. Here you go, dear.
> 
> Sans is a judge so... He gets the good stuff. Also... What are you doing, Papyrus?

Sans knew that monsters could sometimes amaze him with their ridiculousness, but this one took it to court.

They _literally_ took it to court.

A bunny monster had wanted advice on dating an extremely shy plant monster. Sans had been innocently browsing old paperwork for ideas when the drunk bunny monster had stumbled into the courtroom by accident, somehow completely evading the many guards that protected the area from wandering visitors. Then they immediately went for him and cried about how they were in love with someone who would never see them for what they were.

He wished he could say he didn’t recognize them from lilt of their voice, but then he would be lying. He’d gone to Grillby’s a couple of times to have a drink of ketchup and eat the ‘worst burger’ on the menu. Drunk Bun was no mystery to him for all the times they had attempted to make him uncomfortable by flirting with him. It didn’t take a Snowdin genius to know the bunny behind all the flower and pollen covering their fur.

“A-and I can’t s-stand it!” Drunk Bun wailed at him.

Sans felt sympathy for their odd plight. Big Mouth wasn’t exactly someone who would see infatuation even if it landed in his mouth. Drunk Bun could flirt with any monster they wanted, and yet they always seemed to be only slightly joking. Sometimes, even then, Drunk Bun would somehow redirect their attention to another monster if the monster in regard ignored them.

“He doesn’t even get j-jealous! I tried so many things to try to see if he was affected, but it just doesn’t work on him!” They gestured wildly to their messy face, where the excessive amount of flora covered a large portion of their head.

Sans felt like there was a running theme starting in the Underground. He had a sinking feeling that he may be affecting the monsters with his despondent, jealous mood. Maybe another check up on the machine would work. He sighed quietly, sitting back on the wingback seat. He really didn’t know how to deal with this. Monsters usually didn’t start this kind of topic with him. It was either asking him to be a bridge between two or more opposing opinions. Either the stats machine was leaking out his emotions or his luck had shorted out and now he was dealing with a nagging insight that his jealously might lead to hilarious outcomes.

He wanted to sleep. He wanted a dreamless sleep without stray dreams of seeing two humans die from the cold, bodies slowly disintegrated by the magic for the power of their SOUL. One had been just a baby, so young that it needed a carrier and milk for its bones. The other human was only a little older. The older human was a mage that had escaped in disguise as a soldier, hiding in the depths of the town of Snowdin, urged to stay there by magic.

He had somehow sacrificed their lives for the betterment of monsterkind, preserving their body as a gift to magic.

The older human had helped monsters escape from enraged monster hunters, and even if monsters had met them with doubt, he had offered his assistance. He took care of the child and he had hidden the fact that he had the powers of a mage.

The human mage had died. The young child died along with him in the cold of Snowdin, hidden underneath a pile of snow, long before monsters installed techno-magical securities.

With all the power he contained, Sans had merely watched all of it happen without lifting a single finger. Sure, he had given them a place to stay, some monster food and monster gold to help provide for their life. Nevertheless, he never helped directly.

Sans nearly gritted his teeth in pain, guilt heavy on his shoulders. There was a reason that he disliked his job. Sometimes he had good days, but sometimes he had… worse days. It had been a horrible discovery, learning the truth of his and Papyrus’s origin. He didn’t even want to think about it on a good day, knowing that he had the power to change everything in the past, and yet he did _nothing_. Even if he had understood the consequences, even if he had permission to change anything, given a power that felt like weighty shackles around his limbs, he did _nothing_.

For selfish reasons, he had sacrificed more than what Papyrus would find acceptable.

Sans forcefully calmed his thoughts with well-practiced mindfulness. The psychology books gave it a name, cognitive behavioural therapy. Apparently, humans had a name for the meditation techniques he had learned as a young skeleton monster. Redirecting the connections of his thought-patterns allowed him to dissociate a little from extreme emotional stress.

Maybe he would show up dressed in armour after work. Papyrus liked that kind of stuff. Dress up as a hero and find some friend in distress. Maybe they could hang out again, or maybe he could skip work just to watch his brother personally instead of sending out an eye of magic. Maybe Sans should change _his_ schedule, not his brother’s routine. Sans had many jobs, not like his brother. Papyrus had much more free time than Sans and he had simply filled it up with other things to do. It wasn’t Papyrus’s fault that _Sans_ had a busy schedule, or that he missed their hangouts in favour of spying on the Judge (Sans). They could have rescheduled their hangouts to fit it with their routine.

Sans’ attention snapped back to reality as Drunk Bun sniffled. Their paws rubbed against their cheeks, tears creating damp spots on their fur. His soul clenched at the sight, remembering how little they had been when their parents had handed them to him. Drunk Bun had no one to name them, but they never had a problem with nicknames. Today, they already had evidence of a strong link growing around them. Unfortunately, he could barely see the resonance, which was too intangible in a sense of word.

“Have you tried to bridge the gap by finding what interests you share?”

No matter how much he just wanted to find answers for his own problem, he still didn’t want to hurt anyone if he managed to somehow make a mess with his words. He wasn’t really one for relationship advice. Friendship power was more his theme. Papyrus and Undyne found each other, after all, and the two energetic monsters got along so well that Undyne had talked to the Judge all about how cool his brother turned out to be.

It made him feel proud that Undyne could see how amazing his brother perceived the world around him. Papyrus, in all his self-confidence, managed to snag the attention of someone who rarely interacted outside her sphere of influence. Undyne had many interactions with the guards and the castle monsters, but for her attention to turn to helping Papyrus…

Well, she definitely saw what Sans could see.

Drunk Bun looked deep in thought. “We both like food,” they answered after a moment, their voice wobbly, “and we go to Grillby’s all the time! We both like plants!”

Sans tried to imagine it. A bunny monster and a plant monster could be a very good pair, but… “Do you think he is afraid of seeing you because of your food choices?”

Big Mouth had a slight fear of an herbivorous monster eyeing him as food. From what confessions he spilled over a bottle of non-alcoholic drinks, Big Mouth was scared that, like skeletons with dogs, he would attract someone that had the urge to eat him. It was why Big Mouth got into the habit of making monster food in his spare time. He’d said that he could use the monster food as distraction until everyone saw Big Mouth as a chef, not a possible replacement for monster food. (Never mind that insect monsters and arachnids were afraid of Big Mouth.)

Drunk Bun looked disappointed. “I can’t help what I eat,” they mumbled with a mournful sigh, ears flat against their head. “He’s a really cute guy. I mean, have you seen his leaves? They look so green and fluffy and I just… I really want a chance with him, even just one date!”

Sans pocketed his hand and toyed with the chain of his pocket watch, hoping for an answer when Drunk Bun barely had the courage to confess their amorous advances to Big Mouth. Papyrus would have done it immediately, even if he would attempt to downplay how much he felt for a monster and Undyne…

Undyne would probably train hard until she was the strongest and most reliable monster in the Underground in order to attract a person.

Sans grinned contemplatively under his mask. “Say, have I ever told you the story about a bunny captain I knew?”

“We had a bunny captain?”

Drunk Bun’s eyes slowly widened as he related the story of a bunny that had trained and fought at every step of the way to be a Royal Guard, just to attract a stubborn dragon monster that ignored each and every attempt to gain his affection. The dragon monster had been part of the nobility back then, when there had been more monsters around. As a bunny, any monster he chose would be acceptable, but even the most ignorant of humans would judge the monster the dragon selected.

The bunny had successfully become the first bunny to be a captain in several months, gaining many admirers from his hutch and gaining just a sliver of interest from the dragon. After securing his position as the Captain of the Royal Guard, the bunny then went and tried again to gain the affections of the dragon.

“He went up to him and requested the length of twenty-four hours of a game, and a single private room in the dragon’s estate, along with a promise to be honest and asking the same thing from the dragon. He didn’t ask like it was a demand.” Sans paused, remembering the event fondly. Drunk Bun looked captivated by the story, truly enthralled, leaning forward with interest, as if they were sinking so deeply into the story. “It was like he was at the last straw of his hope, but he had to try again. His voice had been soft, and so quiet, like he would give up if it failed, but he had still looked so steadfast. Since the dragon was a little intrigued by the request, he had accepted.”

Sans recalled the determined look that had been on the bunny’s face. The previous captain had separated half of hours into days, and those days into several months, and by accepting the proposal, the dragon had to meet the bunny for half an hour every week, alone in a private room of the dragon’s estate.

“Old Bun got to know the dragon, and the Old Dragon got to know the bunny. Old Bun had asked me to help him write down some questions that he wanted to ask the Old Dragon, so I did.”

“Did they get together?” Drunk Bun asked breathlessly, paws fidgeting over their clothes like they couldn’t wait for an answer.

Sans nodded and affected a look of calm. “Yes, they did. The rule of the game was to lock eyes with each other while they asked each other questions. The questions started innocently, until they slowly turned out to be much more intimate questions, ones that someone might ask their bonded pair.”

Drunk Bun looked astonished, and infinitely hopeful. It was just what he was going for.

Sans abruptly stood up, startling the bunny into stepping inches away. Papyrus would probably applaud the sense of drama that he exuded. He carefully pushed the folds of his cloak over his shoulder with his free hand and grabbed his pocket watch, checking the time.

“Do you think a bunny could become a guard, Your Divine Justice?” Drunk Bun asked desperately.

“Oh, yes, I do,” he assured them, earning a relieved smile, “but that story was just in the past, and the Old Bun kept secret how he became a guard.”

Drunk Bun deflated, looking much more morose than when they had entered the (mostly-unused) courtroom. “Oh,” they mumbled. “That was a really good story, Your Royal Justice.”

He sighed at the stumbling honorifics and shrugged, as if it had been a simple, boring old story.

It wasn’t a boring old story. After the pair had spent many days together, they had soon bonded and somehow became one of the most renowned Monarchs of monsterkind. They hadn’t been nearly immortal like Boss Monsters, but they brought peace and prosperity with their reign. Sans had spent less time on overseeing judgement and more time preparing for much more important matters, like a machine that could mimic and siphon a little of his abilities to help healers and other monsters to get to know each other through checks.

“But… W-wait,” Drunk Bun protested after a long moment, “that couldn’t be the end of it, right?”

“They lived happily ever after,” Sans remarked as he pocketed his watch and gathered the old paperwork. “I hope you don’t mind, but I really need to go –”

“W-wait, Your Honourable Justice, please,” Drunk Bun interrupted with a pleading look.

Sans paused.

“Would you… could you tell me if I…” They trailed off in shame, looking guilty for even speaking up. “If I…”

Sans slowly placed the stack of paper back onto the raised table of the long-seat and dragged his eyelights across the chamber. The room itself was large and circular, with walls made of white and gold marble slabs that were thick enough to block sound waves in and out the room. Nine pillars supported the smooth, encircled ceiling and it was the only room located in the centre of the castle blueprints. The light coming from the artificial sun above the castle seeped from each crystal hidden in the false ceiling, allowing a luminous glow to encompass the room.

On a nostalgic day, Sans could turn the courtroom into a makeshift planetarium. However, he did not have the luxury to do it today since Drunk Bun had needed him to listen to their story.

Drunk Bun looked young and vulnerable under the artificial light, and from the way they stood in the centre of the room (where criminals had stood in the sight of judgement), they appeared to be desperate. Their usually hazy eyes watered with unshed tears, their fur so messy that it looked darker than its usual shade, their paws started fidgeting and twining, as if they had no clue what to do. Dressed in a yellow dress that looked similar to clothes of the past, as if they wanted to look their very best despite it going against their usual style. Drunk Bun usually wore much more casual clothes than the intricately-embroidered dress.

Since he hadn’t seen Drunk Bun in Grillby’s in a while, it meant that they were abstaining from alcoholic drinks, even though they seem tipsy now. He and Papyrus had no chance of ever getting drunk, what with their lack of more physical manifestation of their SOUL. They were all bones, and, even if they tried imbibing magic-infused alcoholic drinks, somehow the composition of their SOUL would not register the intoxication.

Many monsters had sat on the rows and rows of chairs that encircled nearly more than half the room, columns that descended with exactly twenty-one carpeted steps of dark blue and silver plating, to witness judgement of a loved-one, a friend, or a neighbour. He didn’t think this kind of story needed audience, not when there was nothing to judge, and Drunk Bun only asked for his metaphorical ears.

Also, the last time he had seen the familiar look on Drunk Bun’s face, he’d overseen a marriage and a SOUL union of a dragon and a bunny monster.

“If you continue persevere,” Sans began carefully, eyelights locked onto Drunk Bun’s wide eyes, “Undyne would definitely accept you as a trainee, and you may train under the Dogi.”

“W-what?” Drunk Bun breathed out in disbelief.

“I’m assuming that you want to try and become a Royal Guard in order to impress the object of your affections,” Sans clarified.

The bunny monster gasped and nodded eagerly. Their foot was bouncing off the floor, and they vibrated with excitement

Sans summoned a handbook and placed it on the table. “Then perhaps you should know what being in the Royal Guard entails nowadays. There might be a chance that it may go against your usual daily routine.”

They hastily grabbed for the book and immediately skimmed its contents, eyes rapt with sharpness. It took several minutes for them to close the book, the look on their face eerily familiar. Old Bun’s features shined through their features.

Drunk Bun looked up resolutely. “I’ll do it.”

Sans smirked. It was predictable for a descendant of Old Bun to rise up to a challenge of courtship.

• • •

Papyrus had emptied the library of its science books. Well, sort of. He could barely fit all of them in his arms, and his instincts told him to keep his gravity magic a secret. He would have emptied the castle library instead, but the Royal Judge was located in the castle and they did not seem to be exiting the place any time soon! They had changed their schedule again, but it had not been their fault. Papyrus had observed that, though the Royal Judge may be busy with important matters, they made sure those monsters in need of help received it. He had seen the Royal Judge volunteer in so many places, and he had discovered that he had many skills.

Could it be that the Royal Judge had done the same thing in the past? Papyrus could tell that they had history of helping out monsters, but he had never realized to what extent. They had sacrificed their precious time of searching for answers in order to help Muffet, who had needed help in advertising her spider-made pastries. A moment in her kitchen and the Royal Judge had attracted a large crowd of fans that wanted a taste of their baking.

Papyrus had bought one muffin and had not regretted it. He had to wear an unidentifiable cloak in order to hide his identity and kept his head down when the spiders took a curious look of his attire. One monster child had mistaken him as the Riverperson and it had helped turned many eyes away from him. Everyone knew the Riverperson. They probably did not intend to learn more about them by the way everyone avoided him.

Curious about the usual whereabouts of the Royal Judge, Papyrus had also visited the castle while the Royal Judge had been in Waterfall. He had only seen them read so many books of science and mechanical engineering while they were on their usual break. Several espionage missions during their Waterfall-time, it did not take long for a pattern to occur as the Royal Judge read book after book after book. Papyrus had figured it would take them a while to go through the books, so he had decided to take a day to scout the castle and study it.

The runes in the castle were incomprehensible and spoke of archaic beginnings. He did not even know if they were runes. He had not seen anything like it before, not even in the book that Sans had given him. It pulsed with a subtle power that he could barely discern each of its purpose, blurring together an intent that was unrecognizable. There was no large hint as to what it did. He had seen glimpses of it along the Waterfall area mixed into modern runes, but he had not known just how much it held a connection to the castle. When he had stepped onto the Judgement Hall with the intent to see the Royal Judge’s office, the runes had activated its function and he had an immediate sense of insight that the Royal Judge might be the source of the power emanating from it.

Just as he had started thinking about seeing the King’s throne, the runes had immediately settled back to its dormant state. He tested out his theory and found that the runes could connect to a monster’s intent to see the Royal Judge, or if they needed help of any kind. The runes also activated if he thought of searching for something. Otherwise, everything stayed inactive when he thought of everything but needing the Royal Judge and their help.

It had taken Papyrus nearly an hour of testing the magical security until he was satisfied that he could slip through and pass by without any trouble. He was good at compartmentalizing his thoughts. It was like a puzzle for the mind, packing unnecessary baggage into a box and using it for later.

The Royal Judge had their personal wing of the castle. Most of the rooms had been empty except for the furniture, which had also pulsed with the same odd power that came from the magical security… except not one of them had a single rune engraved or embossed on it. Confused but determined, he had found the Royal Judge’s office, which he had avoided to touch since the door displayed engraved with both archaic and standard monster runes. Instead, he headed for the next door he saw, and the room was what Papyrus could tell was the Royal Judge’s personal bedroom.

The bedroom itself was… well, it was quite impressively luxurious, dominantly coloured with shades of blues, whites and silvers. The bed was larger than anything he had ever seen in the UnderNET, with so many silken cushions, heavy blankets, and pillows of all sizes artfully scattered across the dark blue sheets. Some of them he had found on the clean floor, bunched up as if someone had slept there. There were suspended drapes attached to the unbelievably high ceiling, creating waves and layers of curtains acting as a divider between the bed and the rest of the room. Some of it had centred on an elaborately carved desk near the corner of the room, one that had little shelves of paper, pen and books.

There was a large doorway covered by thick, blue drapes with an ornate pattern of silver. When Papyrus had pushed it aside, he had found another way into the Royal Judge’s office. He had hastily retreated to another corner of their bedroom, flustered by the fact that he had nearly entered a heavily secure room without a care for his safety. It had taken him a short while to relax, and he had found three more doors after wandering around the room, hidden behind strings of crystalline curtains. The walk-in closet had been a surprise, with a wall full of masks and compartments full of hooded clothes, trousers and other undergarments that had Papyrus flushing so brightly that he had quickly escaped the room while he still had the time.

One of the doors had led to a spacious bathroom that was nearly as large as the bedroom. It had windows made from some kind of nearly opaque glazed glass that allowed only artificial light to pass through. It had come equipped with what looked like a tier of steps to a rather wide circular pool containing clear water, one that had a shower built into the ceiling. There was a vanity built on one of the walls, equipped with various scented toiletries and, oddly enough, a single white mask. A single foldable divider stood across the steps of the pool. On the side of the wall, there had been a curved staircase leading to a smaller version of the walk-in closet that he had seen in the bedroom, and the smaller one contained bathrobes, towels and blankets.

The last door he had checked was much more interesting than he had realized. It was an adjoined bedroom. The colour scheme had no pattern to it, simply a room of black and silver. It was the same size as the Royal Judge’s room, and it had contained a bed smaller than the Royal Judge’s bed, but still quite as large. It had a desk and a nightstand like most of the guestrooms, and another bathroom. It all looked so untouched, so when he had entered the walk-in closet, he had expected emptiness.

It was not empty.

It had more compartments of robes, cloaks and shoes. Nevertheless, that was not what had caught his attention. There was a covered mannequin in the centre of the closet. The lights coming from the sun crystals on the false ceiling had brought out a silhouette of some kind of armour from underneath the white cloth. He had so badly wanted to unveil it, but there was a sense of warning when he had stepped near, so he had elected to stay away from the mannequin. Perhaps it was the Royal Judge’s battle gear. One they would not have used in this lifetime. Papyrus could relate to that. Despite his regular training with Undyne, he still had not encountered any hostiles to battle or capture.

Instead of allowing himself to linger, he turned to the desk. On the desk was a parchment of paper on top of a black book, one that had Papyrus nearly shying away when he found words written across the sheet. He was not a monster that read anyone’s private letters, not even ones from his brother’s mailbox, but it seemed like he could not help it. The delicate penmanship scrawled over the paper seemed written in haste, a quick and sharp cursive, yet keeping its structure neat and firm with nothing italicized or bolded. He could not help but peek, and then he realized the Royal Judge had not written the words.

“ _The First Judge trained for longer than what it seems has waited thousands of cycles to return to the place they have been. There are no stars in the place that appears empty if not for the souls, but look closely inside the soul, because each soul contains the stardust of the universe. Across these stars walk the most brilliant of lights – a heart that holds so much mercy, a heart that gives hope. This is the Judge’s Mercy, the one who stands beside them, to protect and to guard, to bring hope to their heart. The Judge alone cannot carry the world, their shoulders already burdened with secrets they must keep. They need –_ ”

It had been a confusing message, because the last part was indecipherable, but Papyrus had still taken a photo with his phone and had saved the image for later decoding. Perhaps the library had a book that would help him understand the weird symbols on the parchment.

After his excursion in the castle, he had headed straight to Undyne for an impromptu training. Fortunately, she had just finished training with the other Royal Guard Trainees. She had commented on his distraction during their cooking lessons, which had slightly troubled him at first. He had been thinking of ways to help the Royal Judge with their problem, but he had not known what to do. He had told Undyne that he did not know what to do to help someone feel less burdened.

“You should get them a gift! On the other hand, maybe you should try to learn about their hobbies and stuff! Learn what they like!” Undyne had yelled passionately. She had been brusquely mixing together spaghetti sauce when she had pointedly stared at him. “That way they don’t feel as horrible inside! I read that in a book somewhere, but I forgot where! Wait – no, it was from the Dogi’s new trainee!”

Papyrus had decided – after days of contemplation – that he had to relearn his science lessons. After all, how hard could it be to refresh his educational memories? If he even had the slightest idea of what the Royal Judge needed in a friend for a scientific discussion, maybe then they would feel less burdened by their responsibilities. If they had someone to bounce ideas with them, maybe they would finally have the time to make friends with other monsters.

Piled up with several books in his arms, Papyrus marched back home, hoping that something would come out from his reviewing of the arts of science.

Maybe this could be his and Sans’ new bonding hobby. They both had a not-so-secret interest in learning, and his brother could not resist learning more. Sans had been so busy in jobs, probably taking long naps on his sentry station and doing some extra work at the MTT Resort. They rarely had time for each other after –

‘ _Oh, no…_ ’

With a dawning sense of panic, his pace slowed down until he stepped inside of his and Sans’ home, perceiving just what he had realized. He and Sans had yet to see each other since bedtime last night. He and Sans rarely spent much time together after he had started investigating the Royal Judge. He and Sans had missed most of their brotherly bonding days.

He planted the pile of books on the tabletop beside the pet rock, carefully arranging it as he recalled his memories and trying to suppress the guilt crawling in his SOUL when he understood how much time he spent away from Sans. Moreover, he knew why Sans had elected to give him freedom to do as he pleased.

Sans had reacted to the first day of his field mission with a quietness that conveyed what words could never hope to achieve. However, Papyrus had missed the meaning behind Sans’ quietness. He had thought it was an agreement to postpone their bonding time, not a sign of Sans giving up their bonding time. He had missed something he caused, something he found unforgivable.

Papyrus remembered his brother’s voice. It was not something that he would forget, not even now. How it had escaped his attention that his brother was suffering from his careless words, he would never know. It shamed him to admit that he centred so much of his attention on following the Royal Judge that he had inadvertently upset someone so important to him. He had not known just how much his words had affected his brother until now.

He had hurt Sans, and it had taken him weeks to recognize it.

Papyrus grabbed a stool and took a seat, digging his phalanges into his gloves as he crossed his arms over the table. He rested his frontal bone on his ulna and radius, frowning when his memories brought up many evidences of Sans being emotionally unwell. His posture, his smile, and the way his eyelights fluttered away when he talked about the Royal Judge – his brother was sad.

He felt like the most terrible brother in the Underground, and that included being much more unpleasant as Jerry. He should have notice it, should have pinned down the unusual reactions, the unfamiliar body language. He should have asked Sans if he was okay with his change of routine, or he should have rescheduled their movie times.

He had overlooked the subdued tone of his brother’s voice, the pained smiles and the wistful looks thrown his way. Papyrus scarcely said goodbye when he went to spy on the Royal Judge, and Sans had left a simple note glued on the front door that said, “ _good luck and have fun._ ” At first, he thought Sans was being too lazy to get out of his room to say goodbye, but now he realized that _he_ had failed as a brother in bidding his brother a good day. Sans had foreseen his actions, and Papyrus briefly wondered if Sans thought that he had set him aside for the Royal Judge. Papyrus wondered forlornly if Sans thought he was being purposefully obtuse about not acknowledging his pain.

When his brother had learned that he had much more important plans prepared, Sans had simply replied with a quiet, “ _oh_ ,” and left it at that, never asking for Papyrus to change his mind. He had merely added, “ _okay, bro_ ,” as if he had resigned himself to the change. As though he had no chance of tempting Papyrus to think twice or force him to stay at home. Did Sans think he was avoiding him on purpose? Did Sans think he wanted to spend more time with the Royal Judge rather than his brother?

After skipping so many days of their usual bonding time, Sans had started talking less, started poking at his dinner with a downcast look on his face, shoulders slumped and a certain hesitation in his eyelights. He slept more often and went to Grillby’s when Papyrus went investigating. He drank more ketchup, collapsed more frequently on the couch after work and napped until Papyrus came back from his double training with Undyne. Afterwards, Sans would wake up to go to work, come home for dinner, and then read Papyrus a bedtime story before he went to his own room for some rest.

For stars’ sake, even Sans’ humorous puns had started to sound awkward, forced and dulled by the lack of enthusiasm. When it came to joking around with other monsters, his brother acted much more witty and keen. With him, Sans seemed to have lost interest in sharing his most basic form of humour. He overused puns with a lack of attention, obviously distracted and removed from the conversation.

Sans had not even complained that they were spending so little time together. Sans had smiled at him so tightly each time he left for his missions and simply bid him good luck if he managed to be there before Papyrus left. His brother probably thought that Papyrus was losing interest in _their_ bonding time. He had doubled his training with Undyne, and yet he had dropped his and Sans’ mutual interest for investigating the Royal Judge.

How _horrible_ of him to miss the signs! He had started to become inattentive to their relationship, _unknowing_ that his brother was simply stepping aside to allow him freedom.

Sans had started acting so passive the moment he had skipped their time together for his daily mission. Papyrus had never even given him a proper explanation as to why he had skipped those days. He had learned that the Royal Judge became active during those times and he had yet to tell Sans his motives.

Lifting his head, he stared at the stack of books on the table, scowling at his negligence. He felt as if he really was not living up to his brotherly duties, not when he knew how much Sans made sure _his_ schedule had a free spot for spending time with him.

Papyrus shook his head pushed himself away from the table. He grabbed the books and headed to his room, determined to let Sans know how important he was, even if he had to chase the shorter skeleton at the MTT Resort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went and made everything extravagant. I was tempted to make every room empty, but, well... I hope you guys appreciate how many google searches I did for this chapter.
> 
> I cut the chapter into two chapters. The next chapter will be published... right after I edit for days and try to end it.


	9. Doomed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apologies are said. No one is at fault.
> 
> He managed to sound relaxed, not entirely terrified. He was an active judge that finished signing Naming documents and other case file of lower judges. He had never missed days where it accumulated enough to reach the height of this book tower.
> 
> (Papyrus? Well... He was doomed.)

Sans had spent three hours in his excessively large office looking over his notes and tinkering with a component of the stats machine. It hadn’t been actually affected by his irregular mood, but it had needed some readjustments from continued use. The machine just needed a little dusting, and perhaps a new location to hide it from prying eyes. It was getting a little… _crowded_. The monster population had continued to grow since its establishment underground and he felt a little anxious that monsters could accidentally set off a large explosion if they somehow managed to mess with the machine. Security had only since tightened after the entrapment of the fifth SOUL. After the sixth SOUL, more scientists came from the Capital to study the odd phenomenon of the ability to check other monsters’ stats.

It wasn’t his fault their ancestors didn’t write about him making the machine. It would have probably looked suspicious. He was lucky he had moved the machine right before the humans had trapped them. Otherwise, the humans would have had the ability to view stats.

It had taken him several months to integrate the refined magical ‘runes’ with unrefined technological advancements that he could get his hands on. They had very limited technological resource in the Underground, and most of what he needed _and_ had was already as scarce as it could be. He had found alternatives, but it wasn’t as better as something that he could harvest from somewhere on the Surface.

He also had not added the other stats he could perceive in the machine, but it did not seem to hinder anyone. Undyne didn’t care much about that apart from lacking any insight to the stamina of her trainees during training. It wasn’t like anyone could remember where the status checks came from. Not one book contained the history of CHECK, and monsters forgot most of his magical history working as the Judge over time.

It didn’t matter. As long as it could help monsterkind, he would be glad to share his skill.

Sans groaned softly and grabbed another blueprint from the messy pile of paperwork on his desk. He had accidentally mixed them together, but the magical markers could easily arrange it back. He just felt daunted by the idea of scrapping up some of his other projects to reuse his marginal resources for an upgrading of a machine. If only he had more materials to work with, then maybe he could build an attachment that could balance the influx of the locator. Searching for a specific kind of power took time, and he did not think that it would be long before the power gravitated back into the Underground.

Rising from his chair, he yawned, stretched his bones and heard his joints make cracking sounds. He swiped his magic over the paperwork and they flew back into its previously organized stacks. He certainly needed to go home. It was getting a little late. It was Papyrus’s time for experimenting on dinner preparations. He doubted Papyrus would ever let him get away with skipping the bedtime stories, too, even if his brother had cancelled their hangout sessions. Not that Sans would ever miss a moment of reading his brother storybooks.

He grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair and took a shortcut into the secret-secret lab. Once Sans landed on the checkpoint, he quickly changed into his regular clothes. It was his pair of black pants with the double white line on each side of his leg, a white tank top, his grey-hooded blue hoodie, and a pair of white mittens. He grabbed his pocket watch and whisked away the Judge attire into a convenient shortcut behind the false wall. Afterwards, he stepped into his fluffiest pair of white slippers he owned.

Sans clicked the pocket watch open and sighed in relief. He still had some extra time to plan his science talk at the MTT resort. He needed his focus centred on the machine, along with him pursuing a well-needed rest. He was feeling the strain of stress bearing down on him, and not even his meditation helped when his thoughts felt like a tornado picking up debris. With so many jobs and identities to keep, it was a wonder he had yet to collapse.

He took another shortcut, this time carefully hidden in an alleyway near the resort. Not any of Alphys’ security cameras worked there, simply because he could deactivate them at any time, but also because the Judge had their own security around the area for being a place that had an elevator that could immediately head straight to the castle. He had only told Alphys that he had secured the area with his sensors and she had immediately agreed to skip the area.

Sans sauntered off to the resort, hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie, a relaxed smile plastered on his skull. He nearly did a double take when he caught sight of Drunk Bun guarding the door. His smile had nearly slipped, but he continued forward.

“Yo, Sansy!” Drunk Bun greeted happily, waving at him. They wore a simple hooded cloak, black like the dog couple’s attire. Sans didn’t doubt for a moment that they had no armour underneath it. He had designed it for the Royal Guard and Drunk Bun trained under Dogamy and Dogaressa, both of whom elected to wear the cloaks as a pair.

“hey there, bun,” Sans greeted with a lift of his shoulder. “how’s the new job?”

Drunk Bun smiled in confusion. “How did you know I got a new job?”

“well, you’re not at grillby’z right now, and you have a uniform like the married dogs.” Sans pointedly stared at their attire and Drunk Bun laughed nervously, scratching the back of their ear.

“Oh, it’s good,” they replied, stepping towards the glass doors. They pushed it open for him. “Are you coming in for your gimmick?”

Sans smiled at the crafty dig for information. “nope, just need to place my schedule in the reservation.”

Drunk Bun held the doors open and Sans stepped through. As soon as he stepped into the light, he started scanning the lobby. Seeing no visible change in the opulent resort, he immediately shuffled towards the diamond receptionist. They were waiting for him to come in, a bright, reflective smile already plastered on their face.

“Hello, Sans,” the angular diamond monster greeted him happily. They held a small clipboard in their hand and wrote something down before they glanced at him again. Sans grinned back tiredly. “Are you here for a spontaneous session?”

He shrugged. “nah, just making sure you know my availability for later.”

“Well, Burgerpants has the work list today,” they added helpfully.

“thanks, shine.”

“Oh, it’s no problem at all!”

Sans headed for the MTT-Brand Burger Emporium. Once he was inside, he immediately saw Felix slumped over the register, smoking catnip. He was eyeing over a clipboard, which probably had the work list and his schedule for holidays. He looked too serious for a monster so young.

“I don’t know why you work here,” Felix said without glancing up, expression blank. He twirled a pen with his paws. Sans eyed it warily. “It’s not as extravagant as they tell you.”

Sans paused at the tone of his voice and leaned his elbows on the counter. That didn’t sound like the professional cat he knew. “what’s up felix?” he asked worriedly.

The cat monster smiled at him sadly. “Did you know that you’re the only one besides the Royal Judge to call me Felix?”

Sans blinked his sockets. He hadn’t been expecting that question. “i didn’t know that,” he responded. “actually, now that i think about it… they call you burgerpants here. why is that?”

Felix looked mortified as he began to tell the tale of a cat monster that wanted to impress a couple of attractive ladies by sneaking them glamburgers when they had asked. He said that Mettaton had seen him out in the alleyway and the burgers had tumbled out his pockets. When Felix had attempted to pick them up, the burgers’ weight had caused his pants to fall and the girls had laughed at him. Somehow, they started calling him Burgerpants. The name stuck, until Felix’s name turned into Bugerpants and nothing else.

It saddened Sans to know that monsters that he had overseen Named were causing this much of pain to others. Yes, it was bad that Felix agreed to sneak out glamburgers, but Catty and Bratty had asked and what was one naïve teenage monster to do? They may not have meant to do much damage, but here Felix stood behind the register, pain, guilt and humiliation roaring in his SOUL. Felix still had been honest about his mistakes, even if it had shamed him.

“so you wanted to be an actor and you got this job instead?”

“Yeah,” Felix replied heavily, sniffing. “I wanted to work with Mettaton, but… well, here I am.”

Sans pondered deeply. “what kind of acting do you do?”

Felix raised a furry eyebrow at him, mouth heavy with a frown. “Uh… I did some funny skits before, and some satire. My teachers said I was good at expressions and improvisations, and I usually turned out with the role of a rebellious teenager or a brave brother. I went to a small acting school in the Capital, but I didn’t have enough gold to finish it. My parents said that they were paying off a small amount of debt. They’re as bad as me when it comes to dealing with problems.”

“say, felix… i know a couple of monsters,” Sans began, already calculating the days he needed to help the cat monster prepare. The group he knew liked helping out beginners in acting, so he wasn’t sure if they would accept someone like Felix unless the cat monster asked them. “they do some short scenes on an undernet page. i do some work with them sometimes and they’re looking for new actors to help them out. they’re willing to pay a good amount of gold. interested?”

Felix looked flabbergasted, catnip falling from his mouth as he gaped. “What?”

“are you interested in doing some scenes? i want to help you out, kid. you’re not happy here.”

Felix dropped the clipboard on the counter and grasped his shoulders. “Are you serious? You’re not kidding me?”

“heh, i’m sans and i’m not joking around.” Sans patted his mittens over the poor monster’s trembling paws. Tears gathered at the edges of Felix’s eyes. “hey, don’t cry, buddy. you might even know them. they do some great stuff and they call themselves the acting guild.”

“The Acting Guild? _You_ know _the_ Acting Guild?!”

“sure do. i helped them start off. they were kids like you, wanting to get into acting but never getting the job because mettaton wouldn’t hire them. he’s kind of a one-act person and he owns most of the channels in the underground.” Sans should probably start on investigating that problem. A single soul owning that many channel did not bode well for entertainment and influence. They really needed a variety of actors instead of simply Mettaton.

“They’re famous for their online acting!” Felix yelled in excitement. “Are you sure they need more actors?”

“yep. i talked to them a few weeks ago. they always need new actors. just call the number on their page and tell them i sent you.”

Felix appeared to be single-mindedly insane for a moment. “I’m going to quit my job right now,” he whispered loudly. It was as if he didn’t care that it could be all a hoax, or a cruel joke. Felix didn’t even ask questions before he chucked his hat away.

Sans felt amusement as Felix jumped over the counter and headed out of the emporium. He heard the cat monster laughing hysterically as he declared that he was quitting his job. Sans shook his head wryly and grabbed the clipboard from the counter, signing his name on the some of the empty boxes and writing a short comment that he needed some rest.

If Mettaton had any problems with finding a worker to take Felix’s job, he knew just the monster to do it. That is, if the monster in question asked personally for help. If not, Sans could probably nudge him in the right direction.

After filling in the work schedule, he went out the emporium and handed the clipboard to Shine. The stupefied diamond monster gaped as Felix laughed giddily as he talked with someone over his phone.

“Sans, do you know what’s happened with Burgerpants?” they asked under their breath. “I’m not sure Mettaton would… I mean... Burgerpants is being a little too rowdy today. This isn’t like him. He’s usually all so professional.”

“oh, you mean felix? he just wanted to change jobs. he found the perfect one for him.”

Shine stumbled as they walked over to the cat monster. “Your name is _Felix_?”

Chuckling deeply and waving at Felix, Sans went ahead and greeted Drunk Bun on his way out.

“Felix sure seems happy today, huh, Sansy?” Drunk Bun laughed. “I’ve never thought I’d see that cat smiling like this before.”

Sans paused and glanced at them, bemused by the fact they had noticed something amiss with Felix. “sure he is. i think he has a new job.”

“That’s so cool! Just like me, then!”

Sans shook his head, pocketing his hand and humming away as he walked back to the hidden alleyway to take a shortcut.

Nevertheless, he stopped walking because he saw his brother heading towards the resort, seemingly confused as he looked over the resort with apprehension. He was dressed in his battle body, but he had a simple black cloak over his attire. His red boots glowed with bioluminescent blue residue right near the heels. The edges of his cloak displayed the same evidence.

His brother had passed by the secured clearing. If that was not suspicious enough, then the steadfast look of resolve on his brother’s face nearly made him feel wary.

“pap!” he called out, just in case his brother was looking for him. Secretly, he hoped so. He felt like he hadn’t seen his brother in weeks! Well… technically, he hadn’t seen him in a few days. No doubt Papyrus had seen him, however, as the Royal Judge.

Not that his brother would know it was him.

Papyrus’s head snapped towards his direction. His brother beamed happily and the confusion went away. So… His brother was just looking for him. Sans nearly sighed in relief, but then he remembered that he didn’t know why his brother was here.

“Sans! I was about to look for you inside the resort!”

Sans jogged to his brother, pausing when he reached Papyrus’s side. He ignored Drunk Bun’s look of curiosity and urged his brother several steps away for a semblance of privacy.

“what’s wrong?” Sans asked in a quiet whisper once they were out of Drunk Buns’ exceptional hearing range, “you don’t ever go this far when you’re out.”

His brother offered a pained smile, visibly crestfallen, and hugged him carefully with one arm, leaning the side of his skull to his temple. Sans leaned into the gesture reflexively, adding in a soft nuzzle before his brother could pull away. He didn’t know why his brother was acting like this, but he wasn’t about to complain any time soon. After all Papyrus’s activities regarding the Royal Judge, they rarely had the chance to be affectionate any more. He just hoped his brother wasn’t in trouble. What if it was Papyrus’s habit of stalking monsters gathered unwanted attention to him? Stars save any monster from Sans if that actually happened.

“I would have thought you would know,” Papyrus said just as quietly, regret staining his voice. Sans shuddered and pressed closer, a comforting hum already spilling between his teeth. Papyrus pressed back and brushed his red glove on the crown of his head. Sans nearly sighed in pleasure, feeling the strain of tension falling from his shoulders. “I realized that I was being neglectful of you. We do not spend as much time together as before. I just wanted you to know that you are important to me, too, not only because you are my cool brother. I do not want you to think that you are less than what you are.”

Sans carefully pulled away and looked up. His soul stumbled on a frequency at the earnest look in his brother’s sockets. Sure, they really avoided each other in their bonding time, but Papyrus unknowingly spent it with him. His brother didn’t know of his identity as the Royal Judge. If anything, Sans spent less time with _Papyrus_ because of his jobs. He should probably drop one of them once he had a decent excuse of where he kept getting so much gold. Being the Royal Judge had its… _benefits_. Making sure that his brother would not want or need for anything turned out to be one of his priorities. Sans never wanted his brother to experience a moment where he could not achieve his dreams, but spending time with Papyrus also took precedence.

“oh,” he murmured. He grinned faintly at his brother, the jealousy from days ago cooling down in his stressed soul. Why had he been worried? Papyrus knew him far better than he knew the Royal Judge and he had a stronger connection to Sans than Sans’ alter-ego. He was not a jealous person. Papyrus could explore the world with or without Sans or the Royal Judge. It was unfair of Sans to feel such jealousy when his brother rarely acted on his adventurous soul without prompting.

“I know,” Papyrus replied miserably, browridge furrowed into a contrite expression. Sans leaned his face forward, worried browridge already making an appearance. Papyrus smiled apologetically at him. “I am so sorry, Sans. I should have paid more attention to you. I… I never wanted you to feel ignored. I did not mean for you to be hurt. I clearly did not think things thoroughly.”

“it’s okay, bro,” he reassured, patting his brother’s hip lightly. If Papyrus thought it was his fault, then Sans was obviously doing something wrong with the brotherly bonding thing.

Papyrus’s face fell, and his sockets searching. “It is not okay,” Papyrus whispered firmly, shaking his head. Sans nearly startled at the tone, surprised. “I… I don’t ever want you to think that I’m avoiding you or pushing you away. There are only two of us and I would hate it if I made you think you are insignificant to me.”

Sans repressed a grin, knowing it was inappropriate to smile after Papyrus had admitted to such things. His brother would think he was being inconsiderate if he did so.

“come on, bro. walk with me while i prepare a speech about how amazing you are.”

As if on cue, Papyrus’s face flushed with magic, evidently startled. “What?”

Sans smiled gently and linked arms with his brother. “like this, bro.”

Clumsily, his brother followed his example, curving his arm much more firmly to give Sans’ arm a comfortable perch. He followed Sans when he started walking away from the resort, heading a familiar pattern back to Snowdin.

“sorry i haven’t been spending as much time with you,” Sans murmured after a minute. When Papyrus opened his mouth to protest, Sans raised his free hand, halting whatever words he was about to say. “i could have also made some effort, bro. i could have dropped some jobs, maybe mixed up my schedule so we can synchronize all our job stuff.”

Papyrus grimaced, and Sans had a moment to realize that their schedules matching up wasn’t the point. “Sans, I am not apologizing for that,” Papyrus began tightly. Sans could detect the guilt in his tone of voice. “I want to apologize for being insensitive and inconsiderate. I know that I hurt you. I should have given you warning. I should have told you my plans beforehand and instead rescheduled watching television.”

“i could have asked to reschedule,” Sans pointed out gently, earning his brother’s exasperated look. Okay, that wasn’t the point, but it was a given that Sans could have pushed harder for a change. “instead of keeping quiet, i could have asked that we do it at another time.”

“That’s not the point, Sans!” Papyrus protested with a wave of his free hand.

“what is the point, then?” Sans questioned plainly, eyelights passing over echo flowers they passed by. He carefully led them away from the confined clearing and took a longer route home. “we both made mistakes on communication, sure, but you don’t have to apologize to me for being busy, pap. i know you like adventure. i didn’t need to be so weird about it, but i–”

“Sans, you are purposefully misunderstanding me,” his brother interrupted tightly, halting his shortened steps and forcing Sans to confront his own emotions with a single look. Sans gulped at the narrowed sockets and the disappointed frown, feeling sweat gathering on his skull. His brother looked a little too stern.

“sorry,” Sans muttered lowly as he tucked his skull into his hood, feeling like he had just stepped into a tumultuous room of egg monsters. He didn’t mean to make Papyrus think he was disregarding his opinion on purpose. He just wanted them to be back to normal, without the apologizing. “and, uh, continue.”

“I had a moment to think earlier while I was walking,” Papyrus began again, this time with a firmness that did not accept interruptions. “I realized how much time we spent apart. Even as independent as we are, we have never been that far apart from each other for so long and I have overlooked how quiet you became! I remembered the first time I postponed our plans and you never said anything about rescheduling, nor have you offered any protest or complaints about how I was… I was leaving you on your own to spend time with yourself when in fact we had plans to spend our free time together. I abandoned you for some mission that I spontaneously made. I failed to inform you of the change of plans and left you all alone. I should have told you not to expect me. I made you hope and ruined it.”

That look on his brother’s face could fell hardened criminals with guilt. Sans smiled nervously. “uh… you’re forgiven, paps.”

“Sans…” Papyrus looked even sadder, as if he knew that Sans was just trying to end the conversation so long as Papyrus didn’t make that unhappy look ever again. That wasn’t the reaction that Sans wanted.

Sans bumped him with his hip, stretching his grin and leaning his head on his brother’s arm. He felt a little better. That Papyrus had acknowledged their lack of brotherly bonding actually incited a feeling of pleasant relief in his soul. He missed the times when they just sprawled on the couch to watch Mettaton do things on television. They had snacks to eat and water to drink. Papyrus’s cooking even showed a great chance of becoming edible. Maybe next time Sans would complain even more about the weirdness of the show and Papyrus would continue complaining about his puns during the programmes.

“it’s okay, bro,” Sans insisted, nudging his brother to start walking again. “next time, we could just do something else on your free time.”

Papyrus sighed heavily. “I still feel ashamed for hurting you,” he admitted with remorse. “I should have been more observant and considerate of your feelings. I should have made sure you actually agreed for your own sake, not for mine…”

“papyrus, it’s okay.” If his brother became even more observant, Sans would no doubt be revealed as the Royal Judge in four seconds. A second for process, two seconds for shock and the rest of it a beginning of disbelief.

“But Sans–”

“listen, i made the blunder of surrendering and ignoring my feelings for the sake of your own.” Sans turned his head and met his brother’s sockets. “i could have complained, but i didn’t. i was okay with it because… well, you seemed really excited. i wanted you to be happy. my feelings on the matter didn’t compare to that.”

“I want you happy, too,” Papyrus exclaimed with a hint of growing frustration, browridge set in a gentle scowl. Sans could tell that he was trying to use words that expressed what he wanted. Papyrus just had a difficulty finding words whenever he felt overwhelmed by emotion.

If Papyrus even knew a sliver of what Sans had _not_ done, Sans doubted he would ever be happy with the reaction he would get. His sins carved the Underground and he was the closest cause of them trapped in this place. If he had only made a move to change things, then maybe they would not be here. However, if he had not taken the choice he made...

“your happiness is paramount to my happiness,” Sans summarized, masking his shiver of dread.

Papyrus paused and in his expression was a hint of the crafty little brother Sans knew. “I will be happier if _you_ are also happy,” he voiced with great magnitude.

Sans hesitated, absorbing the words with sudden confusion. Well… wow. _That_ was surprising. He had never understood it that way. He thought prioritizing Papyrus’s happiness before his own brought a happier future for his young brother. He had not realized that being happy himself would make his brother even happier than usual.

“thanks, pap,” Sans whispered.

“You are very welcome, Sans,” his brother replied smoothly, petting his skull gently. Sans leaned into the touch, sighing in relief. “Now… let us go home. I have something for us to do.”

Sans’ skull flushed with magic, a belated reaction to his brother’s oddly satisfying words, and he quickly hid his smiling, flustered face against his brother’s arm. Papyrus laughed soundlessly at his reaction and pulled him along, lightness in his step evident where there was none before. Papyrus was such a cool brother.

•••

Arriving home, Papyrus had headed straight for his room. Sans had taken one look at the couch and immediately threw his tired bones onto the cushions. He landed on what felt like the softness of monster cotton. During his free time, he had dug out the plain cotton from the cushions and replaced it with monster-made cotton. It was much softer, and it retained its form immediately when not in use.

He closed his sockets and sighed peacefully, making his bones comfortable and tucking his head at a corner. He snoozed off after a minute, the exhaustion of his mind and soul bringing him down to a meditative sleep.

“SANS?”

Sans looked up from the couch, where he’d been nodding off into a passive doze, smiling blearily as his brother peeked from the wall of the stairs. He was tired, but for his brother, he would hold on. Earlier, Papyrus had apologized for neglecting him, and Sans’ SOUL had immediately protested the thought of his brother making his way to apologize to him. It had made him realize what a stubborn fool he was being, not approaching his selectively observant brother for a schedule change when he had the chance. Sans swore to himself that he would try harder to spend time together even if he had extra work as the Royal Judge.

“what’s up, pap?”

“WERE YOU TRYING TO NAP AGAIN?” Papyrus questioned with great suspicion. Sans had to hide an amused smile. His brother narrowed his sockets. “YOU WERE!” he accused.

“just a little nap, pap,” Sans confirmed in a sleepy drawl. Papyrus’s displeased look almost made him smile. “maybe a few minutes of waiting… what was it that you needed again?”

Papyrus’s suspicion vanished in an instant and a cautious grin stretched across his bony face. The tall skeleton pulled himself away from the wall and Sans’ sockets widened at the stack of tomes and books in his brother’s arms.

“WELL, SANS, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME WITH ALL OF THIS.” Papyrus gestured at the books then placed a hand on his jaw ponderingly.

Sans fell speechless. “what?” he managed to convey through his teeth.

“I NEED A REFRESHER FOR THE SCIENCE THINGS I LEARNED WHEN WE LIVED IN THE LAB!” his brother exclaimed helpfully, sockets somehow giving him an appearance of innocence. Sans tried not to show his confusion. Those books looked older than his brother does.

“sure, bro. where do you want to start?”

Feeling a sense of nervousness, he watched as Papyrus made his way over to the table and dropped the towering stack of books next to the pet rock. The contact with the table made the old wooden surface wobble, greatly shaking the foundation of the table. Upon giving the tower of books a closer look, Sans recognized some of them – his scientific books that he published as the Royal Judge. Some of it dealt with alternate universes and magic in relation to different dimensions, and others simply contained advanced sciences in chemistry, biology and physics.

“LET’S START RIGHT NOW!” Papyrus declared with excitement, bright, happy, and so energetic. “THERE IS NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT!”

That was an answer for a ‘when’ question, not a ‘where’. Based on the look on his brother’s face, he was serious. Sans nervously eyed the tower of tomes, and sensing the magical sweat of stress gather on his skull as he forced a smile on his face.

“okay, bro,” he nearly whimpered out, managing to catch his voice on time before it cracked.

He managed to sound relaxed, not entirely terrified. He was an active judge that finished signing Naming documents and other case file of lower judges. He had never missed days where it accumulated enough to reach the height of this book tower.

“THAT’S THE SPIRIT, SANS!”

Papyrus looked grateful, and Sans was not about to abandon his brother to refresh his memory of scientific theories alone. He eyed the books pensively. In fact, perhaps the books would inspire him to have better ideas. With his brother beside him on his quest to find other plans to prevent resets and gain the last SOUL of the set, maybe he would finally be able to destroy the barrier without resorting to Asgore’s waning enthusiasm to kill children.

• • •

At first, Papyrus had opened the book with the most basic scientific theories, meant for beginners of scientists. It was so simple that he had swiftly finished reading the book, and Sans’ help turned out unnecessary for that one. The next book took a little effort, and only because it seemed like the author had the same ideas as the last one. After reading and reviewing it, his brother made him skip to the next book.

The book after that, however, gave Papyrus a greater challenge. He had not known the Royal Judge wrote a book about magical science. The human facts and monster theories in the book blended so well together that Papyrus could barely understand what it meant. It held information on various monster science subjects, and yet he had never seen this book before. Sans himself had taught him the science and magic behind monsters, along with pensive lectures from the previous Royal Scientist. Otherwise, the assistant scientists had helped him pick books.

This book explained about multiple worlds, and several numbers of dimensions. According to the book, humans and monsters lived in the third dimension, where their forms are three-dimensional. Then, it explains that SOULs could have access to other dimensions. On other notes, it said that the Essence of Magic could possibly exist in different dimension and may have an existing pattern of consciousness. From what the book explained, it sounded as if the Royal Judge knew it personally. There could be no doubt in the certainty the text hinted to it.

Perhaps being a monster of knowledge brought the Royal Judge many interesting adventures. It sounded as if they had gathered their information from different sources, and then tested each one to see if any of it rang true.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the text, reviewing the same line for the fifth time.

It still confused him.

“SANS, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS LINE HERE…” Papyrus pointed at the line, the tip of his phalange tracing the confusing sentence.

His brother looked up from where he was reading about thermodynamics, hands bare of the familiar mittens in favour of turning pages with his phalanges. It was a little… distracting, for some reason. Papyrus rarely saw his brother’s hands. He had forgotten how small and slender they looked.

“what is it, bro?” Sans sounded concerned.

“THIS IS SLIGHTLY CONTRADICTORY FROM WHAT I HAVE READ SEVEN PAGES AGO,” he explained, as clearly as he could. He tried to read the text again, only to fail when he failed to understand it. “NO MATTER HOW I TRY, IT SEEMS SO IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE.”

His brother left his chair and walked over, the book of thermodynamics safely cradled in his right arm. He looked over Papyrus’s left shoulder, and then he reached out and covered Papyrus’s pointed hand, gently pulling it away from the text. Papyrus turned his head, observing quietly as his brother’s white eyelights scanned the page. Darkened circles under Sans’ sockets made him look unusually tired, but the flush of magic on his bones brought out loveliness to his features that Papyrus had not noticed earlier. He had not seen his brother look this exhausted and yet still look as if his very bones looked as fresh as before, not since before the previous Royal Scientist existed.

“it’s telling you that the different dimensions are accessible to most soul-oriented beings,” Sans explained, voice soft and gentle. It filled Papyrus with comfort, soothing his soul pleasantly. His brother never raised his voice to make a point, always preferring to deal with matters in a rational manner. He made learning sciences much more interesting. “this one explains ascension, which is an extremely advanced type of SOUL manipulation. most ascension-related topics need a basic knowledge of SOUL practices, which also includes manifestation of magic.”

Ascension and SOUL manipulation was a topic usually avoided by monsters. Papyrus felt alarmed.

“I THOUGHT THOSE ARE BANNED SOUL ARTS?” he whispered loudly, causing Sans to turn to him quickly, a browridge raised.

“no, pap, it’s not. while it’s highly recommended not to try it without supervision of a SOUL master, practicing the most basic SOUL techniques is practically harmless. most monsters have a white SOUL. remember when i showed you how to make cyan with two sources of green and blue light? the layers that make a monster’s SOUL is vast. each monster is able to summon a shade that represents a personality component that reflects the quality of their personal experience and knowledge. when monsters tried to access an unfamiliar SOUL component, their personalities forever changed and they failed to revert back.”

Papyrus could tell this was one of Sans’ longer discussions years after moving to Snowdin. Sans understood the text very well. He could have possibly read the book before.

The Royal Judge wrote the book, so there _must_ have been something Papyrus was missing. SOUL manipulation in the book meant the monster controlling its own SOUL, not others’ SOUL. Papyrus had thought it was suspicious that no one would speak of it when he had been in the lab with Sans.

“BUT THE SCIENTISTS AT THE LAB…” he trailed off, uncertain. He felt uncertain, wondering if his memories were true or false. Could he trust the memory of his younger self, when he was still a baby bones? He was still uncertain if the memory of the Royal Judge saving his brother was a memory or a nightmare. Perhaps the erasure of the previous Royal Scientist had affected his memories.

His brother appeared to be thinking carefully, absently stroking Papyrus’s hand with a gentleness that rivaled a feather’s touch. Magic sparked pleasantly through his bones, and Papyrus stole a flustered glance at the action, and then turned his attention back to Sans when he hummed.

“they probably thought the previous lead scientist was teaching us the basics of SOULs,” Sans mused with a dry grin, somehow conveying little to no annoyance.

He continued stroking with gentle fingers, confusing Papyrus even further when his soul suddenly felt tight and yet free, the magic sparking warmth and energy between their bones. It felt… good.

“O-OH, IS THAT SO?” Papyrus managed to reply after a moment of silence, distracted by the soothing touch. His brother was obviously unaware of what his touch was doing. His brother’s eyelights focused on the text, the ever-permanent smile hinting seriousness for the topic. His brother was not aware that his tracing little circles on Papyrus’s metacarpals made the bones rattle inaudibly, that it also flushed Papyrus’s skull with magic, and that it made Papyrus’s soul spark with something unidentified.

It confused him.

“the mistake made is assuming that it was banned due to the lack of conversations regarding it. younger monsters would have known about the SOUL manipulation in a much instinctive level. when we lived in the lab, they expected us to know most of the SOUL-related science. when I became the temporary royal scientist, they probably expected you to know more than what you show.”

Papyrus stared at his brother, trying to hide how much his touch affected him. Sans turned to blink at him owlishly.

“I THOUGHT EACH SOUL HAS A FREQUENCY OF ITS OWN?” he questioned quickly. Oh. _No_ , that was not what he was about to ask! The touching distracted him. It had lowered his mental awareness!

“that’s true, yes,” Sans confirmed. Papyrus still felt a little dazed. “however, each SOUL is a kind of energy itself, and they have access to endless possibilities. the trick to mastering each SOUL attribute starts from the most rudimentary SOUL training of accessing your magic. since most families mostly have similar experiences, they have related… colours of magic. each colour, however, can have different effects depending on the SOUL's will. that’s what this book is explaining to you.”

“BUT SANS, FROM WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED, MOST COLOURS OF MAGIC HAVE THE SAME EFFECT!”

“well, remember when i cooled your spaghetti with cyan magic?”

Papyrus thought back to the moment Sans had dumped tomato sauce on his skull and frowned. “YES…” he replied slowly.

“i related cyan magic to influence smaller things, which was pretty easy since i can visualize and remove the heat. it’s like a toxin and an antidote. the antidote comes from seeking answers in the toxin. heat has its own answer, and i just used my cyan magic to stop the movement of the atoms that made the energy.”

Suddenly, it all made sense.

Papyrus gaped at his brother. “YOU USED YOUR CYAN MAGIC’S ABILITY TO ‘STOP’ MOVING OBJECTS TO PREVENT TINY PARTICLES FROM CREATING THERMAL ENERGY,” he blurted. “YOUR MAGIC FORCED THE TOMATO SAUCE TO COOL.”

His brother grinned lightly. “yep.”

Papyrus felt stumped, and at the same time, amazed. He knew his brother was clever, but to find out that his brother managed to find a cooling property from his magic…

“SANS, THAT IS UNBELIEVABLY INGENIOUS.” Words could not express how incredible it was that Sans, his laidback brother, could do that.

Returning his gaze back to the book, Papyrus caught sight of his hand just before it closed over Sans’ wandering fingers. His sockets widened in alarm. He forced his hand away and immediately placed it back to the old page without alerting his brother. He gawked at his hand in confusion. What was wrong with him tonight? He had been unaware of his hand moving until he had seen it. Why had he pulled away? Was he not willing to bring attention to his brother’s absentminded actions?

“well,” his brother began in a shy voice, directing his attention back to him. “it’s just a manipulation of magic. i just made sure that the effect of my magic could access smaller elements and just went with it.”

“STILL,” Papyrus insisted, leaning his head closer to express his sincerity.

Sans peeked at him with wide, bashful eyelights. “yeah?” he murmured sceptically.

Sans seemingly gravitated forward until his forehead nearly touched his own, magic sparking and acting like a cushion between their skulls. Their faces stayed so close that Papyrus could just lean further close the gap between them, place a hand on the side of Sans’ skull, pull him closer and kiss him – what.

What?

Oh.

Oh stars.

 _Oh stars_ , what was he _thinking_?!

Papyrus froze, but Sans did not seem to notice, gazing back at him evenly.

“YES…” Papyrus replied almost steadily, inwardly struggling to hold Sans’ gaze while trying not to let him know of Papyrus’s sudden predicament. He tried to keep his voice stable, aware that he could falter at any moment. “T-THAT IS QUITE A FEAT OF MAGIC. THE CONCENTRATION THAT IT TOOK TO MAKE YOUR MAGIC DO THAT MUST HAVE TAKEN YOU MONTHS OF PRACTICE.” He would know. At his younger baby bones years, it took him a year and a half to manage even a small bone construct. Learning about his magic took him a long while.

Sans blushed an appealing shade of blue and turned his eyelights back to the text. Papyrus felt his mind stagger at the revelation of his attraction to Sans as he forced his skull to return his attention to the book, soul hammering away as he tried to compose himself. Papyrus spotted the small hand caressing his metacarpals and his skull instantaneously flushed with magic. Composing himself would probably take all his energy.

It took all his willpower not to glance at Sans’ face, wondering if he knew what he was doing to Papyrus’s poor soul.

“it took me a bit of time, i guess,” his brother replied modestly.

It was like trying not to use magic for a day – Papyrus was helpless to the compulsion to glance at his brother. He had no power to stop it. The smooth bones of his skull, the alluring blush covering his face, and his brother’s small, timid smile made his mind scatter. It was an endearing look. His brother had that look on his face when he was understating his skills again.

It was quick, abrupt, but the imagery of his brother captivated him even more. He was enthralled, wholly, completely. There was no use fighting something true.

Swallowing his denials, he forced a smile.

“It… It must have taken a lot of effort,” Papyrus replied, voice faltering from its confident beat. He could feel the change in his tone, the change of vigour. If he pretended not to notice this odd attraction, would Sans sense it? “You, ah, have the drive to do things when you want to get things completed.”

For star’s sake, he sounded like a message from one of Undyne’s secret stash of romance books.

Sans misunderstood him completely, throwing him a concerned, but encouraging look. “you’ll get there, pap. i’m sure you’ll master your magic much more quickly than i did.”

Papyrus offered an unsteady grin and forced himself back to reading, unable to move his hand from Sans’ tender touch, using instead his free hand to turn the pages. His brother, on the other hand (ugh, another pun), stayed where he was, skull besides his own, eyelights reading with him.

After minutes of inwardly becoming more flustered at his situation and trying to compose himself, Papyrus suddenly felt the whole weight of his brother leaning against his back. He stiffened in surprise, and the blush he had fought so hard to suppress came back powerfully across his skull. Careful not to jostle his brother, he twisted his head and found Sans’ sockets closed, dozing peacefully.

It still did not make the blush on his face or the sweat on his skull fade.

He observed his brother’s features cautiously, smile twisted with worry as he checked to see if his brother was truly deep in his dreams. He had no idea why he felt a sudden desire to kiss Sans. He was uncertain why he felt such need. Had he missed his brother so much that it translated to such affections?

Uncertain of his emotions for that matter, he leaned closer, and he suddenly felt excited and anxious when he managed to kiss his dozing brother’s sphenoid bone. He felt paralyzed. He held the position for a second or longer, then he pulled away, turning his head back to the book and covering the lower half of his face with his free hand – his _trembling_ free hand.

He gazed down at his battle body. His SOUL glowed white underneath his sternum, pulsing with profound intensity, a clawing desire to take more than what he could possibly ask of Sans. There was a breathless moment where Papyrus had expected Sans to wake up suddenly, to see how Papyrus’s SOUL had manifested itself from a single kiss. It did not happen, but Papyrus felt bare all the same.

That kiss had not abated the desire to kiss him again – a more intimate kiss.

Groaning quietly in his hand, Papyrus took one more look at his brother. His soul promptly reacted and pulsed rapidly.

Papyrus knew why.

He was _doomed_.

•••

Sans’ eyes snapped open when he sensed a familiar, dangerous magic creeping in the air. He sat up in bed, alert at every pulse it made, at every subtle whisper that slyly charmed listeners. He crawled off his bed and followed the magic, making sure his steps were light and quick as he opened his door quietly and exited his room.

He prepared his magic for a chase, listening carefully for the beat.

It led him to his brother’s door.

Sans felt a seething emotion fill him as he gritted his teeth, an enraged snarl supressed at the back of his throat at the compelling magic in his territory. He opened his brother’s door as quietly as he could, then he threw a silencing barrier around his brother’s bed, where Papyrus lay sleeping. He tracked the source of magic, hidden beside the monitor of Papyrus’s computer.

It was the Mask of Mercy.

A protective emotion filled his SOUL as he grabbed the mask. He took a shortcut to his private lab and pinned the mask against the wall above the counter, ripping out the charms from the regular enchantments until he collected a sizeable amount of the suggestive magic. _Stars_ , it was a lot. It filled nearly four bottles of ketchup.

Stars, if he found out his brother had been manipulated to do its bidding… Sans nearly clawed off a chunk of the counter as he leaned forward menacingly, magic tense and heavy around him. If it touched his brother… he would find a way to revive the monster responsible and throw them into the void.

“don’t interfere,” he growled at the magic. It pulsed back with urgency. “ ** _n o !_** _**y o u d o n o t i n t e r f e r e . y o u d o n o t t o u c h h i m . l e a v e h i m b e**_ **_!_** ”

Sans furiously deconstructed the magic, shredding it apart and crushing every single whisper it had given to susceptible monsters. He continued until it was unrecognizable, until he could barely access even the smallest particle it had, and until it disappeared visibly. Once he could not sense the magic, he took the mask and searched it again, fusing his magic into the object until his magic filled it to the brim.

He slammed the mask on the counter, furious with himself for not examining the first mask he made. He should have known not to trust those shamans. Nevertheless, what else could he do? They were dead humans, and the Winged Monarch assured him they would never come back alive.

He had kept the Mask of Mercy because of its sentimental value. He had not touched it with his magic because it was something that he had made, and he had not checked it for tampering because he had trusted those interfering shamans to guard it. Obviously, they hadn’t listened. Sans could only hope that the Winged Monarch would deal with them.

He took the mask and took a shortcut back to his brother’s room, placing it back beside the monitor. He then approached his brother’s bed, sending his magic through the barrier and pausing when his brother turned in his bed. Papyrus was dressed in his pajamas, oddly enough. He wasn’t wearing his battle body to bed.

Shaking his head, Sans used his magic to draw out suggestive magic.

When it passed nearly five minutes and nothing happened, his tense bones finally eased. He dragged back his magic and released a sigh, nearly collapsing on his brother’s carpet from the emotional stress it brought him to discover that his brother was near that kind of magic. He should have made sure the mask was safe.

Giving in to the urge to lie on the carpet, Sans dropped himself on his back, sockets closed with pure relief.

 _Stars_ , he was tired. If that magic had touched his brother in any way, he would have done something irresponsible. It didn’t make sense for the humans to leave that kind of magic on the Mask of Mercy. The mask itself acted like a master’s passcode for every security he placed on the Judge’s wing. Since Papyrus had the mask, the enchantments would recognize him as the Judge’s Mercy and allow him passage to any part of the castle, most especially if Papyrus brought the mask with him.

Lazily playing with the string of his hood, he vaguely wondered if Papyrus found out about the mask’s special functions yet. There was no way Papyrus wouldn’t want to explore the castle for more clues about the Royal Judge. He knew he could possibly be boring his brother when he read science books at the Waterfall area. His brother would dig deep, just as he always did when he felt serious about a subject. Sans had no fear of his brother’s curiosity and discoveries. Papyrus kept his discoveries private if the material was too personal for anyone else to know. His brother also knew that picking more than one trusted partner for a mission would bring complications.

Unless, of course, if it was something like accidentally seeing someone’s SOUL. Papyrus had phrased his words and made it sound like he committed a great crime. SOULs could be clinical when it involved healing, so Sans had not minded. It was an accident.

The mask’s activation of the shaman magic, however… Sans hadn’t actually meant for that to happen.

Rubbing his hands over his face, he huffed, knowing he could do nothing else but destroy the magic if he sensed it. He stood back up and dispelled the silencing barrier. He watched his brother for a few seconds, searching for a sign that his brother was in danger. When nothing came up but his brother napping away, he tucked his hands in his pockets and let himself out of his brother’s room, closing the door quietly on his way out.

Entering his room, he crawled back into his bed, ready to go back to sleep.

Right as he was about to doze off, however, he sense the familiar vibration of his phone and groaned dolefully into his pillow.

“let me sleep,” he moaned miserably.

The vibration persisted.

He reluctantly dragged himself up and took a shortcut to his private lab to dress up, knowing there was no stopping monsters from activating the security at the Judgement Wing and looking for the Royal Judge.

He only wished they came at a reasonable time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE KISS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN THIS CHAPTER. I need to rewrite all my drafts all over again. My hands are traitors.
> 
> Mistakes all mine. Point it out for me. Sometimes I miss things, especially when I write lowercase sentences.


	10. Troubling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't expect an ambush to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the supportive lines and amazing encouragements of comic4244, silverryu25, Magyka13, Mercy_Run (and the Mercy Mumbles team), and all the readers and commentators who nudged me back to the writing flow. I could have never stopped those cramps alone. I love you people. ;v; Please accept this sacrifice as a part of a gift. This is short, but, well, my magic is a little rusty.

Drunk Bun greeted him from the glass doors when he sauntered over to the castle’s side garden, the most remarkably weak spot of the castle due to its unprotected side and lack of protection. Whatever weakness it had, however, was balanced by the garden being so close to his wing of the castle. Not only that, but despite Bun’s relative inexperience with their job, they had a sharp sense of detecting intruders. He didn’t know if it was the cause of having a dragon ancestor, but they did well on their job and he was suitably impressed by their dedication to guard that part of the castle – they probably liked it because the plants reminded them of Big Mouth.

He wasn’t expecting the frustrated crowd of monsters waiting for him in the garden. Varying monsters stood across the grass, floating and grounded, all wearing displeased expressions on their faces. He paused by an elaborate fountain of marble, bracing himself for a confrontation. He knew some of them, a few from the royal council, and a few representatives of the towns of the Underground. They usually had nothing kind to say.

He hadn’t needed to move further. Once a siren monster sighted him and notified the crowd, the group merged into a solid formation of monsters and started walking towards him. They would have looked formidable if not for the little cub cradled in a bear monster’s arm. Two rabbits, two sirens, a deer, a bear and her cub, a bull, a jackalope, and a chimaera monster waited for him.

“Your Honourable Justice,” the familiar bull monster greeted with mild annoyance. Sans remembered the bull’s Naming Day, when a young lupine monster appeared to have a strong bond with him. His name was… _Hornard_. Because he had little stubs growing out of his skull and it was hard. Downy had such a creative time trying to name him. “We were looking for you.”

“You are here so early before the string lights have ascended. I assume you wish to speak of last month’s council meeting?” If that wasn’t the case, then he hoped their talk would end well. On the other hand, he might be entirely accurate if their formal attires spoke true of their motive. He didn’t know why they were here so early.

“Yes, you assumed correctly,” one of the siren monsters replied. She held a sullen look of annoyance, and for a representative of Waterfall, related to Shyren’s cousins, she did not seem shy at all. She was named Slyren, because of her serpentine dragon mother and siren of a father, when they found the strongest bond for her Naming Day connecting to a tree nymph. The other one was Skyren, born to a cloud monster and a siren. “Trainee Bun has mentioned that you had not been sighted since yesterday morning. King Asgore has been quite busy, so we were unable to meet with him. However, you are the Royal Judge, the next rank to the King, so we came directly near your wing.”

He didn’t bother to correct them that he had a higher rank than Asgore. Judges were entirely neutral link of royalty, taught to help monsters follow the law. Although, each one of the regular judges had one advocate to represent their mercy in trials that required much thought and compassion.

He could explain, but… there wasn’t time for that, not when they were expecting him to be a good host for their sudden visit.

“Follow me, then,” he said. “I will lead you to my office.”

He walked past them and unlocked the garden doors, expecting them to follow him down a tricky hall towards the Hall of Judgement. Their footsteps echoed in the empty halls, greeted by tall ceilings and rows of pillars. The stained glass windows looked gloomy without the golden light flooding the hall with colour. Instead, it appeared as though they were walking towards a terrifying end and not his homely office. Each step caused worry to weigh down his soul, despite the fact that none of these monsters would dare go against his decisions. He had too much influence in the Underground, and yet… things like this still happened.

Sans wanted to take a step back and head straight to bed, but he knew this was inevitable. The whole of Underground had grown tired of the lack of progress with the breaking of the barrier. He’d been anticipating this confrontation, having experienced it in nearly each generation of monsterkind. So many years trapped beneath Mt. Ebott, so many years lacking the sight of the sky, and so many years their temporary home had been used by humans as a trash dump until the humans have forgotten their territory – it was only time that a height of frustration grow. Trapped along with their fellow monsters, knowing humans had gone and locked them in a cage where they were not free – they wanted the barrier broken, and they would do anything to do it. If they had to go directly to the Royal Judge for their concerns, they would do it.

All of this, however, had not stopped Asgore from hiding the truth about the humans killed by the Royal Guards and their king. The council and representatives knew about the humans that had come and gone, but never had they laid their eyes on the children. They knew they needed the SOULs, but no one knew the guards and their king had killed the human bodies, too. Blood of six human children stained the Underground, with civilian monsters ignorant about how they were to break the barrier.

They never questioned how the King contained the SOULs.

Sans stopped in front of his office’s elaborate doors and opened it, allowing them to enter before his magic shut the door. Glowing orbs of light flickered in existence and flew above them, hiding in the false ceilings and rapidly illuminated the massive room with its white glow, the light crystals reflecting rays quite efficiently.

The crowd seemed to take in the sight of his office, from the tall bookshelves lining the walls to the multiple paintings of him and other monsters, each one a different set of monarchs, each one a different generation. Wolpa the jackalope took particular interest in one painting with a wolpertinger monarch.

Sans also recalled one of the elected council members to be one of his ancestors.

They didn’t bother to take a seat on the emergency meeting table near the balcony doors. They gathered around his desk as he sat down on his chair, clearing his desk with a flick of his hand.

“What seems to be the situation?” he began before any of them could open their mouths. Hornard cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“We have acquired six human SOULs in the past centuries, and we have yet to break the barrier. We have been waiting, and _waiting_ , for so long that the monsters have become restless with the slowness of this process. They long to see the sun and the sky. So many of our monsters have already Fallen Down with regret of not having succeeded in breaking the barrier, and most of our representatives chosen from each town have—”

“They’re contemplating of having the monsters of royalty re-elected, Your Honourable Justice,” the meek goat head (Sphinea) of the chimaera interrupted. Right after that, her lion head (Lycia) moved and growled, followed by a hiss of their dragon head (Talia). “We’re truly quite impatient with the inaction of the guards and the royal.”

“Re-elected?” Sans murmured with surprise. “Surely you learned that it is not an election that placed us here. The royal monsters have not been elected by monsters, but by the Essence of Magic itself.”

In order to find a Monarch, the floating lights from Waterfall would gather around candidates for the rank of King and Queen, regardless of their relationship with each other. It was only recently – after the first goat monsters became the king and queen – that magic did not protest the change of allowing blood to decide royalty. It must have something to do with their immortality – maybe the Essence of Magic didn’t want him to feel lonely?

Mayor Rabbun straightened up, along with his assistant, Hopper. “We have noted that down, Your Royal Justice, and have been told by King Asgore. However, it is not the King that we want to take action…” Rabbun paused and continued hastily, “it is _you_.”

Sans’ soul turned cold. His grip on the arms of his chair created creases on the soft plush.

“We have noticed that your focus and schedule remained only in the Underground and its monsters,” Skyren began quickly, “we have not received any reports or notifications that you have been working with King Asgore to help gather human SOULs. While it is commendable of you to take care of our citizens, we are expecting you to take action.”

Sans closed his sockets, thanking the stars that he wore a simple blank mask when he had left the house. With his steepled hands over his sternum, he leaned back slowly and opened his sockets to lock his gaze on the group. He didn’t know how to reassure them that he had plans in motion for the breaking of the barrier.

“My role in the Underground involves interacting with different beings, creatures and monsters with SOULs – I am the Judge of _Souls_ , not simply the _Royal_ Judge,” he said firmly, even as his soul quivered with uncertainty. “I know my duties, and these duties include knowing that there is nothing we can do to the Barrier until the seventh human SOUL is acquired.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t know what he needed to do – he knew his role and he knew his title. He only felt guilty that he couldn’t do more to break the barrier, that he already gave them the answer, and yet they sought more. Centuries have passed and monsterkind still felt restless. There weren’t enough monsters _willing_ to break the barrier, as most of them had resigned themselves to staying here, with little hope to see the Surface. He had a feeling that they all could represent the seventh SOUL, with all of their determinations combined, with their powers merged into a sole wish, a mix of their hopes and dreams. Enough monster SOULs could equate to a human SOUL’s power, and they _have_ enough – and yet… there were still monsters who want the humans dead for what they had done.

He didn’t want them to die.

Humans were more powerful than monsters in terms of their SOULs. He witnessed the war between monsters and humans – no human SOUL had been taken, because the other humans had their mages take the human SOULs to empower their spell. Bodies might have died, but the Barrier, empowered by the SOULs of those on the opposing side, still felt alive. The human SOULs that have sided with the monsters were left to fade on their own, as respect for their help and courage to go against their own kind.

Sans had discovered the SOULs that aided them, monster or human, chose to sacrifice their power to allow monsters to survive in the Underground. Magic, from a human or a monster, flourished in the Underground. It allowed for monsters to grow their food, to thrive even if most of the monsters were born diurnal. Soon they’ve evolved after centuries, adapting to their chosen home in the Underground.

This generation had forgotten that.

He sighed, a little disappointed.

Wolpa started protesting. “Yes, we know this, but—”

Sans hurriedly cut them off, lest they start tearing down his reasons. “I am involved with weighing _souls_ , doling out justice to those who lack regret for the lives taken by their actions, along with the pain inflicted against others. I help monsters overcome their fears and guilt, to become a stable source of reassurance and understanding. In addition to those duties, since the Queen’s disappearance years ago, I have also taken the role of nurturing wounded souls. I make sure there is no need for conflict in towns, and I make sure that we have enough supplies to feed all our monsters.”

Doeris stepped forward, a brave move for a deer monster, ears flat on her head. “But, Your Royal Justice—”

It all came to a sudden stop as the little cub started crying loudly, and Sans leaned forward in surprise as Ursalis flinched and started rocking her cub carefully. “I’m so sorry, but Big Bear is at work right now, and no one is free to watch my cub.”

“Minursa is hungry,” Sans said gently, recognizing the sound and the call off the cub’s SOUL.

Ursalis flushed with magic. “If you don’t mind, Your Royal Justice, I would like to–” she took a quick glance at the large hanging curtain near an old painting and looked back “–borrow your curtains.”

“You may take your time, Ursalis. Minursa needs her mother right now.”

“Thank you.”

The mother bear padded over to the curtains, dragging it to cover herself and her cub. The little cub sniffled and her crying petered off into cooing noises. Sans glanced back at the council and civilian leaders.

“As I was saying… I am not able to help King Asgore with the Barrier. We have told you this before. Until the Underground unites as one to break the Barrier, we will still need a seventh SOUL. As it stands, however, some monsters have gotten used to living in the Underground. In terms of a monster absorbing a human SOUL to take what we need from the Surface, I will have to remind you that the last time it happened, both the royal children perished. Despite the fact that the monster in question was a Boss Monster, humans managed to fatally injure the late Prince Asriel.”

There was a solemn silence encompassing the room. He could sense the guilt and frustration in their posture, the determination fierce in their eyes, mixed in with sadness for the fallen children. While he knew they did not favour Chara’s existence, their ancestors had told them how Chara had been the Child of Hope. They felt responsible for their death, regardless of their connection with the late adopted royal.

He empathized with them, and yet he also felt guilty. While it was true that monster SOULs combined may be able to stand as the seventh SOUL, there was no way the Barrier would allow it. Only the presence and power of the seventh SOUL would allow it. Chara’s SOUL.

He couldn’t blame them, or blame the past.

Even if it had been Chara’s actions that managed to reset the spell of the Barrier.

•••

He’d discussed many other things with the council and the representatives. Without Asgore to make small pleasantries (and Sans allowing, or joining, in said pleasantries), they managed to tally up supply numbers, discuss the new trainees the Royal Guard took in, and solved general civilian problems all in a few hours.

He left after the rest of them went home or back to their own office.

Minutes of walking ever so slowly down the Hall of Judgement allowed him time to appreciate the golden light coming from the tall, stained-glass windows. It reminded him of sunlight, even if it barely matched the star. He missed it. He _thought_ he missed it. There were different things to like about the Surface – the sun, the sky, the stars and the wind. There were storms the last time he was there, before the war had happened. There were so many beautiful plants of all colours, with varying heights and many useful properties. There were so many animals, from a tiny mouse to a large mammoth and a whale.

The whale had been a nice surprise.

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it wasn’t the Surface he missed. There was something missing in those moments, and it always seemed so... bland, after the initial surprise. He just wanted… He…

He just wanted to experience it with Papyrus.

Sans stopped by a tall pillar of stone, flushing underneath his many layers of clothing and masks. He felt flustered, and a little giddy. His SOUL pulsed with happiness, thinking of Papyrus. He felt sweetly embraced, but also constricted with emotion, and yet still so _excited_.

The Surface held nice memories, of course, but it would never compare to sharing it with Papyrus. Even the days in the Underground seemed more powerful, more… _real_. When he saw Papyrus, everything appeared to be… _more_. _So much more._ There wasn’t a moment wasted, and every second counted. His brother didn’t dawdle. Papyrus took action – raw dedication, a devotion and determination that paled to other monsters, compassion emanating from his soul, a kindness so pure that it seeped through any pain Sans may have, healing him. There would always be moments of shyness, of course, but the sincerity dripping from every word, from every action, an enthusiasm so contagious that he could almost taste it in the air, a sweet soul in the Underground, and his brilliant starlight —

The rustling of an Underground tree snapped him out of his thoughts. Sans shivered, huddling closer to the pillar, noticing that he was breathing heavily, that his soul was pulsing so rapidly. It wasn’t a necessity to breath. He wasn’t a human, or one of the more physical monsters. It was a guise he practiced when he lived with the humans, but he didn’t need it.

He started walking again, smiling bemusedly to himself.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to spend more time with his brother, not head straight to work and do too many jobs he didn’t need if not for keeping his identity a secret.

It took a few minutes to reach the garden door, and by that time, the luminescent light from the cave ceilings bathed the garden with a golden hue. Curiously, Drunk Bun wasn’t at the door. They didn’t seem to be anywhere.

He carefully opened the doors, looking around for the bunny as he stepped out. The swift appearance of Underground butterflies caught his attention when it flew from below him, and he froze when he glanced down.

There was a folded note on the stone steps with two little flowers on top. Sans took another look around and then kneeled on the stone, taking the flowers delicately between his fingers, recalling both their meanings and family.

One was _Chamaemelum nobile_ , from the daisy family, for _patience_ , and _Rubdeckia hirta_ , from the sunflower family, for _justice_. Both of them belonged solely to the Asteraceae family. White and yellow little flowers… huh.

 _Star_ flowers. How did they know…?

He grabbed the note and opened it, not expecting the familiar script on the paper (on a _papyrus_ , oh stars).

“ _To the Royal Judge,_

_Hello! I am a well-meaning, concerned monster that has noticed your disheartened mood in the past few weeks. I would like to impart with you a message that someone dear has given me once in my life, since it seems as though it may benefit you. I hope you do not mind my sharing to you of precious words. They are rather important to me._

_It may seem as though there is no answer to your problems when there is no visible progress. However, tomorrow is another day, and such day brings more hours to spend time seeking answers with the help of your friends! Answers may come from a different perception, and it would ease the burden off your SOUL. They may see what you are missing._

_Please know that I would gladly share my time to help ease what makes you ever so worried. If you ever need my help, just leave a note by the large doors at the Ruins!_

_Sincerely,_ _  
_A Well-Meaning and Concerned Monster.”__

Sans smiled so widely under his mask that his white cloak became a starry galaxy with happiness. He tucked the letter in his cloak and touched the soft petals of the little flowers, incredibly moved by the gesture. He summoned a small vase with water from his judge room in his free hand, placing the flowers together by the stem. The delicate beauty of the flowers looked so nice together. He liked it, not to mention they were from his favourite line of flowers.

He so badly wanted to show them off, but he knew monsters would take it differently, so he sent the vase and the flowers to his office. It would make his office brighter.

•••

Papyrus cheered quietly when the Judge took his gifts. He knew they would like it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Roman Chamomile:  
> 
> 
> Black-Eyed Susans:  
> 
> 
> All mistakes mine. Please, if you notice: misspellings, grammar errors and everything just plain missing, wrong and ridiculously misplaced, just send me a message, an ask or even a comment. I try to beta myself, but I'm no expert writer.
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> I know this is so, so late. I just focused so much on life that my writing has become rusty. I hope this will refresh everything. Thank you for your comments, and your love. I have read all of your words and I appreciate it! Thank you so much! I just don't know what to say, and that's why I haven't replied. I wish I knew what to say to thank you all!


	11. History and Sans' Vacation Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple note left behind, and sometimes monsters still forget to text.
> 
> (A note is still definitely better.)

Hatching out a plan right away had been quite frustrating for Papyrus the moment he stepped into the kitchen. Waking up to realize that Sans had gone early to work had been surprising – the note he left behind the front door was even more surprising. The unbelievably healthy salad on the cold plate – _impossible_!

_“went to work. after work, we’ll spend more time together, okay? i promise._

_i also made you something before i left, figured you would be too excited to start the day before you could eat anything. it may be a little bit simple and rushed, but a tomato salad is good for you, right? this one has dressing made from olive oil and lemons, though – don’t worry, you won’t even notice the taste of the oil, i know you hate the grease. didn’t want to ruin your dino oatmeal by leaving it soggy, so i went with the next best thing and left it on the cooling plate, all wrapped up. dressing’s covered tight in the cupboard, because the dark space’s good for it. found the recipe in the undernet._

_take care and eat for me, will you? thanks, papyrus. hope you have fun on your mission._

_i’ll be back soon._

_\- sans”_

The simple, considerate note had sent his SOUL fluttering away, although he would definitely keep that experience to himself.

He closed his sockets and tried to compose himself, even as his SOUL unfailingly recalled the memory of the letter locked securely in the hidden box in his closet.

Sans was… His lazy, heavy-eyed brother was so undeniably thoughtful. Reading such a message brought out a potent flush of magic from his SOUL, along with the trembling of his fingers as he gently traced the words so meticulously. He had never realized until now how, despite the quirky form of the characters, Sans’ script (and spacing) appeared to be painstakingly measured, so entirely uniform with each other letter.

It described _Sans_. His personality bled through the dark ink. The blue, bone-printed, stationary only enhanced it.

The lack of a pun, however, intrigued him. Sans sounded serious enough in the message to skip light-hearted teasing.

His brother worked too early and that was possibly one of the things that had nearly created a rift between their schedules, along with Papyrus’s missions in the morning. When Papyrus had spotted the note, he had been thinking of the worst case scenarios in his mind, wondering if Sans did not believe his words, or that he’d changed his mind. Upon noticing that the handwriting was slightly smaller to fit in more words, and that the note was an entirely different colour altogether, he had relaxed.

The note that had initially shaken up his morning routine explained the salad on the cold plate. He knew Sans could cook, of course, but Sans had never done something like _this_ before. Leaving for work and making Papyrus breakfast was something unusual! Oh, true, there were times when Sans brought something home from his other side-jobs, yes, but this… this was truly perplexing. It was an unbelievably well-sliced mystery.

He peered cautiously over the salad bowl.

Sans had made something _inexplicably healthy_! It was no steak, no hotdog, or a grease trap (although with the olive oil, Sans might have turned to _healthy grease_ ). It certainly did not contain ketchup, mustard or relish! It was not one of those frozen salads from the store, no. A peek at the bin showed labels for lettuce, a variety of emptied herb containers, a feta cheese label, and tomato leaves that looked fresh from the market.

He looked around, trying to find anything misplaced in the kitchen.

On the drying rack were a clean knife and a cutting board, washed and rinsed, gleaming brightly with water as if it had been washed just recently.

Trusting that Sans knew what he was doing, Papyrus placed the note on the counter and he took the dressing from the cupboard. It appeared to be edible. It did not appear to be different from any other dressing that he recognized. And yet, just the thought of oily, greasy dressing made him flinch.

He grabbed a salad fork from one of the drawers and uncovered the bowl of salad. He was unsure if he should remove it from the cold plate, so he set it on top of the counter. After that, he poured the watery dressing on top of it, mixing it in generously with his fork.

He took a bite.

‘ _Oh stars._ ’

He blinked quickly, chewing a mouthful of greens and tomatoes. The fresh flavour of the fruit and vegetables burst on his magic taste buds, and the sweet tang of tomatoes fought the sour taste of the lemon juice. Was that the flavour of finely chopped parsley, oregano and dill? Amazing!

It tasted _incredible._ Papyrus could barely taste a hint of the olive oil because of the lemon juice. It wasn’t as greasy as he had imagined.

He took another bite, and then another, moaning from the simple and unbelievably delectable source of nutrition. He failed to pinpoint the time it took to finish eating, but his fork scraped the plate and the sound alerted him to the lack of salad in his bowl.

He needed _more_. What in Asgore’s name did Sans put in that salad?!

Papyrus opened the fridge and stared at its contents. He tilted his head, blinked, and backed away slowly. There was no hint of the remaining ingredients that had made up the undeniably delicious salad that Sans had made – and it was certainly well-made! It was empty besides leftover spaghetti from last night and bottles of Sans’ condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard and relish… and hot sauce… and other unlabeled bottles that he guessed to be other condiments).

His shoulders slumped. He should have known Sans would have not wasted food and eaten it (maybe). Where had the rest of the salad gone? Had his brother hidden it elsewhere?

Shaking his head, he sighed and closed the fridge. He could only look forward to what ideas a short walk would bring him. Maybe once his brother came home, he would have found other ways to spend their time together.

It would be easy!

• • •

It was not easy. Oh, not at all!

He should, perhaps, also never think of a new task as ‘easy’ before he had actually done it!

Papyrus had flipped page after page of the human friendship book he had found in the Dump, hoping for inspiration.

It had been completely… illuminating, but entirely confusing. It completely failed to live up to his rather high expectations! Although, he did take some notes, just in case it a moment presented itself a hint related to the book. It would do well to be prepared for unexpected occasions.

Instead of relying on a book, Papyrus decided that he would… improvise. Goodness, that word sent shivers in his bones. Unpredictable, unplanned – that was improvisations, yes? After all, what is a nice, great day if without moments of surprising spontaneity? Perhaps Sans would appreciate variation!

‘ _Ah_.’

Speaking of Sans…

Now that he considered it, he was also uncertain if Sans would have a plan for their day. What would Sans have planned for their… _outing_? They had not spoken changes of their schedules (goodness knows Papyrus would move snowy mountains for his schedule to fit Sans’ busy routine), and they could not even know what time they would meet again for today. Sans’ home time had been as erratic as always, and Papyrus knew he took many small jobs on the side.

He wondered if that would affect their outing. Knowing Sans, there would possibly be a different change he would bring into their life. Could it be a new job? One that was more settled, and much more secure? He made a mental note to ask Sans.

What would make their shared time much more meaningful? To be honest, Papyrus would rather spend their time together without any interruptions. It would be nice to bond with his brother again, but then again…

What would it take for Sans to notice that Papyrus had a… a silly, childish crush? Oh stars, now _that_ made him nervous! He hoped Sans would overlook his attraction. He had not the time to think yet! Even now, the feelings confused him – was it or was it not a fluke? Could it possibly be a momentary lapse of judgement? Did he actually want to – want to kiss Sans? Similar to the way couples… _kissed_ … in the dating book…

Groaning, Papyrus hid his flushed face into his hands.

Oh stars, he wished he knew more about his feelings! Awareness of his emotions took time and contemplation, along with questions thrown at Sans’ way. With Sans being the object of his… awareness, could he even muster the courage to ask?

The thought of asking Sans about _feelings_ nearly made him cower back into his bed. The thought of bringing up such a scandalous topic... Golly, just trying to think of how the conversation would go – it was _madness_! Goodness, the embarrassment would be enough to make him research ways to be _invisible_!

Shaking his head, he slid the book back into its shelf. He really needed a distraction!

• • •

Papyrus skipped the use of the ziplines and instead set foot towards the castle. He still had one thing left to do, before he met would meet with Sans (and prepare for their outing). He had been anticipating this day, because it would be the first time he would reach out to the Royal Judge.

After all, friends give each other letters, right? It would not be unusual for the Royal Judge to be seen receiving messages of any kind. They were popular, and they had many connections in the Underground. _Anyone_ could have left them a message!

Just… perhaps not in the way he would be leaving the letter? Oh, he hoped so! To be the first stone-step message of the Royal Judge would truly make his day even better!

Papyrus strolled by the side of the castle, until he reached the corner of one of the royal gardens. He blended in whatever shadows he could blend into, aided by his dark cloak and starry mask. Peeking along the edge of a wall, he noticed Drunk Bun guarding the glass doors near the Royal Judge’s wing of the castle.

He bit off a noise of frustration, wondering if the world’s luck was against him today. He leaned back on the wall and tried to figure out a strategy to evade Drunk Bun’s senses. Without any monster alcohol in their system, they do have a rather strong sense of their surroundings – at least Sans had said so. It was fortuitous that he had avoided taking the higher way to the castle. If Drunk Bun ever found out…

Papyrus shivered, imagining Undyne’s voice yelling at him.

“ _WHAT?!_ ”

He would never live it down.

‘ _Stars curse it, Sans. Not another pun!_ ’ Papyrus inwardly scolded his mind for the blatant inattention. Undyne would have a fit if she had seen him! Golly, to think that he would be this unaware of his surroundings… this was a shame to his character! Thank goodness there was no one here but an oblivious Drunk Bun to witness his shameful behaviour!

“YO! TRAINEE BUN!”

Papyrus nearly climbed the wall backwards in his haste to stay hidden in the shadows. It worked poorly, as there was only so much space to occupy in the first place! Although, with the darkness still present despite the artificial moonlight, it was considerably better than nothing!

Speaking of a distraction – was that _Undyne_?! He had thought that the voice was a figment of his terrified imagination! Stars above, he had hoped she was training in Waterfall with the dogs, but no – she chose the castle!

“Y-yes, Captain?”

Undyne chortled from wherever she was standing. Just her laughter made him incredibly uncomfortable. What if she found him skulking around?! Stars save him. “AHAHA, NO NEED TO CALL ME CAPTAIN, BUN-BUNS! CALL ME UNDYNE!”

She sounded extremely close to his edge of the castle, and it cause magical sweat to gather on Papyrus’s browridge. Papyrus swore to the high heavens that he would find the best way to hang out with Sans if she just left with Drunk Bun. He promised! So long as they never found his hiding place…!

“O-okay, Undyne,” stuttered Drunk Bun. Golly, could they be related to the Doctor Alphys? The stuttering was strangely similar! “D-do you need something?”

“UH,” Undyne stammered, making Papyrus wish he could see her face to know what in the world would make her approach Drunk Bun for anything. What could she possibly need from the bunny? Was there something he missed during Sans’ narration of his day? “YEAH! I HEARD THE JUDGE PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED YOU TO JOIN THE GUARD! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? WHAT DID YOU DO?”

“O-oh, uhm, uh…” Papyrus could almost touch the palpable discomfort in their voice. Oh stars, it seems like they were another victim of Undyne’s imposing questions! “I… I think that’s a personal q-question, Undyne.”

“Hmm…” Papyrus heard the clinking of her armour as she shifted. He had never seen her wearing casual clothes near the castle. “YOU’RE RIGHT! THINGS LIKE THIS NEED TO BE PRIVATE! COME WITH ME!”

“W-wait, Undyne, ma’am, I’m supposed to be —”

“No, it’s okay!” Undyne insisted. “I’ll find us a really private place to talk about personal stuff! This would be a great way to get to know the new recruits!”

“Oh dear,” Drunk Bun uttered faintly as they were dragged away.

Papyrus watched as they came around the corner, Undyne holding Drunk Bun by the arm, looking so excited and nervous while she pulled them to somewhere (probably) private. Drunk Bun, on the other hand, appeared as though they were counting the seconds they have left on the job before they got fired.

He hoped silently that Drunk Bun be able to escape before Undyne whatever secret they wanted to keep. And perhaps not continue guarding the garden afterwards. Maybe they could go elsewhere to do their guarding duties? He hoped the next person on this shift had less powerful senses than Drunk Bun, or that they be a monster that Papyrus could easily elude.

Papyrus waited until he could barely see their silhouettes from his hiding spot, and then he rushed to the garden and placed the piece of folded parchment on the stone steps.

The slightest of breeze nearly lifted the paper. The sight made him cringe.

Panicking, he picked it right up and he looked around. Stars! What could he – how would he – he needed _something_ to hold the paper down! Papyrus fumbled with the parchment, groaning inwardly at his inexcusable unpreparedness. ‘ _Oh dear_.’ What if someone came by before he could sneak away? What if the Royal Judge discovers him?!

Sighting patches of little flowers, he had an idea. He hurried towards the bedding of plants, picked the two most simple, beautiful flowers, two that reminded Papyrus of Sans’ bones and the Royal Judge’s yellow magic. They were small, understated, but they had such a pleasing look, and he hoped the Judge liked them. It did come from one of the castle’s garden, after all.

The guard replacement had yet to appear, so Papyrus secured himself a proper hiding spot by then and waited. Minutes later, the Royal Judge finally appeared. They had looked around in confusion, as though looking for the guard, and then an Underground butterfly that was nosing around the little yellow flower flew up, catching their attention. In a second, they were kneeling, perhaps in curiosity or perhaps in amusement.

When they picked up the flower, read the letter and sent it away in a vase, Papyrus could finally celebrate in relief. The starry clothes were a sign of inspiration! The flowers had been a _great_ idea. Nothing but the best from the Great Papyrus, of course!

• • •

 ** _Sans_**  
_* i’ll be done in a few minutes._

Sans sent it before he could hesitate. Hanging out with Papyrus… it felt different when they planned it like this. Something about this day made him triple-check his work. He’d even asked Asgore if there was anything else that he needed before he left the castle. He had even evaded Undyne’s surprise attacks (again), went to the lab to check on Alphys, and then made his rounds through the Underground to see if there was someone in need of help.

There wasn’t anyone that needed help, there wasn’t anything wrong and Asgore had finished all the paperwork for the new school in the Capital. This time, Sans had made sure it included one of his books concerning the Barrier. If they’d only accepted the material in the first place, then maybe there would be more monsters that understood the consequences of interfering with such a powerful spell.

In the past, monsters with human relations had been gifted with their SOUL once their human bodies passed away. In other times, the human would simply allow their SOULs to fade if they wanted to become one with the world immediately. Monsters respected such decision – stardust was stardust, and no matter how long someone lived, they were stardust all the same. It sometimes helped with the grief, knowing that their loved-one would be everywhere you go. Other times, it just made the monsters… want to rejoin them immediately. They faded away in their grief if nothing else in the world held them grounded.

It was a symbol of _agape_ , a selfless and unconditional love, and the monster’s love would cherish the SOUL for as long as they lived. If the monster died, they both perished in peace.

It had terrified the humans. The religious ones had started to protest, SOULs were sacred to them, and knowing that monsters could take SOULs… it scared them. It sparked a war that the monsters and humans never wanted. And… it set in motion so many things that allowed Sans to exist with his brother.

So many monsters had died in the war, and all of those deaths had equaled to a single human soul. A monster and a human SOUL could leave in one body, because it represented a united sacrifice. A human with a monster SOUL could leave because humans had made the Barrier. A monster with a human SOUL could leave because it meant that the human had allowed their SOUL to be taken.

A human SOUL… The ones that Asgore held captive could have faded any time they wanted. If they had no wish to help break down the Barrier, they would have never stayed.

They were the reincarnations of the human mages that had locked them up, and they had… intentions.

They had wanted to lock them up at first to prevent them from stealing SOULs. Until, that is, they discovered the human leader’s deceit and fear. It had disgusted them. Some of them had family whose SOULs had been given to their monster friend or lover. To think that they would lie about such a sacred union had made them betray human kind. By the time the war was waning, and monsters were dying, they had managed to configure the spell, and the spell had been set to protect the monsters that were left behind.

It had been too late. The White Mage’s magic had set its course to fix it, interrupting the spell and revealing the truth about the monsters. At the same time, the rare mage managed to save a young human child whose black SOUL would have been used as a sacrifice. Because the seven human mages had locked them up and killed so many monsters to empower the spell before they even knew the truth, only their SOULs could break the spell. They could never truly live a pleasant reincarnation if they never broke the Barrier. Only until the deaths of their physical bodies would they remember their past, because the lack of their body meant their SOULs could finally access the knowledge of their past lives.

If any of the SOULs went against the spell, the Barrier would ensure the SOULs would face severe consequences. (Oh, sure, all of the monsters could represent the missing SOUL, but the spell would simply come back until all of the reincarnated SOULs were gathered again. Sans had repeatedly told the council this, but it was as though they’d turn deaf to that one, _important_ , reason. He managed to distract them long enough by telling them the monsters were resigned to their lives in the Underground.)

It was the reason Chara’s SOUL was sent back to the Surface. A rewash. A new time of life that would bring them back to the cycle. It was the reason why a sliver of the late Prince Asriel’s SOUL suffered under the influence of Chara’s fading determination (he may had not wanted revenge, but a small part of him had agreed). They both had a hand in messing with the karmic spell, and it turned out horribly for them. He’d told the stories, he’d told them facts... and he still failed to protect them.

They were children, no matter how old the SOUL.

The Red Mage had a fierce determination to protect monsters. Their magic had represented passion and survival. _Existence so enduring_. In their past incarnation, they had many monster friends, and they had adored little Asriel when he had been born. They were also one of the humans saved that came from a slave ship. When humans had declared war, they’d been hesitant, but they still scattered monster dust because of a threat.

Monsters that didn’t even have the determination or the will to fight.

Sans sighed quietly as he paced in his office, glancing occasionally at the little flowers his brother had given him… well… given the Judge. They looked nice in his cold office, bright and warm, and… and it was cute.

His brother was being cute. He smiled at the thought, until his frown returned and his browridge lowered.

He should stop thinking about the Barrier for now. There wasn’t anything to do about it but wait. Patience was a key to such spell, along with inspiration. Stagnation was a dangerous thing to experience in his long life.

Only the thought of his brother, of his eagerness to see the Surface, had allowed him to turn away from apathy. There was something so effectively pure and grounding with the way his brother made everything so excitingly new. The bond they shared kept him in check. He never missed a moment to meditate. Physical meditation helped more, though, and patterns that relate to the trial made it easier to remember how to sift through his emotions and bring out different qualities from a white SOUL.

Stars, he was truly restless today. That meeting had shaken his mind. What _else_ had he done today?

Oh.

He had visited the doors to the Ruins for his sentry job (to see where Papyrus wanted him to leave his message). He made a knock-knock joke on the doors, and then discovered little Tori again after years of her disappearance. He might have had pretended to talk to himself out loud before he ‘noticed’ her presence. He’d made her laugh, and cry, and they exchanged a lot of jokes. After speaking with her again, it had made him think about the _other_ flower in the basement of the castle.

Sans had captured Flowey once his space-time abusive power faded away. As a punishment for murdering all those monsters in a different timelines, he trapped him in a magical sleep that made him dream of countless timelines and RESETs. He had tried to escape punishment by trying to ‘delete’ the Judge’s knowledge, but it hadn’t worked. It would mimic reality and Flowey would never know. Whatever actions he would take in the dreams would decide his fate in the Underground.

A loud chime interrupted his musings. He checked his phone again, straightening up his spine when he saw his brother’s name on the screen.

 **_Papyrus_ ** _  
* I will meet you then! Good work, brother!_

He smiled.

 **_Sans_ ** _  
* where are you?_

 **_Papyrus_ ** _  
* I am currently at Waterfall, having just finished two sparring sessions with Undyne! Why do you ask?_

 **_Sans_ ** _  
* i’ll meet you there, if you want._

 ** _Papyrus_**  
_* !!!_  
_* I AM WHOLLY UNPREPARED!_

Sans read the message, tilting his head to a side as he crossed the room towards his desk. He grabbed a box of trinkets from the large drawers using one hand, and then he composed another message in their private messaging program.

 **_Sans_ ** _  
* you have something planned?_

 **_Papyrus_ ** _  
* None at all! And yet, I would wish that I did, for I would like for you to enjoy our outing. I worried about it earlier, and it has caused me another double training with Undyne, as I was distracted. My apologies, Sans._

He opened the box, and then he counted the items inside. He had something prepared for an occasion like this. He wasn’t really sure at first, but then again a surprise would fail to be a surprise if it announced itself. He was one paranoid monster, sometimes.

 **_Sans  
_ ** _* no doubt that we’ll have a great time, papyrus._

 ** _Papyrus_**  
_* Oh?_  
_* Do you have plans?_

Sans paused, taking in the contents of the box.

 ** _Sans_**  
_* well._  
_* i’m not sure about plans, but…_  
_* i do have something._  
_* not telling you what it is. *audible wink*_

It took longer for Papyrus to reply, and Sans had to wonder if he was about to go on another training with Undyne, or if he was texting while sparring with Undyne.

 **_Papyrus_ ** _  
* Then I shall anticipate our meeting!_

Sans covered his smile with a hand, touching his mask. And then Sans realized he needed to get back into his normal wear. Judge time was over. Hurriedly, he sent a text back.

 **_Sans_ ** _  
* i’ll meet you then?_

 **_Papyrus_ ** _  
* Yes!!!_

Counting that as the end of the conversation, Sans took a shortcut to his private lab.

• • •

He met Sans at the front of Undyne’s home after the fourth time Undyne had trounced him. On other days he would manage to outwit her, but on this day, it seemed as though she had something more important in her mind that she had ignored his every taunt.

“Keep up the good work,” Undyne said just as Sans stepped beside him. “You’re getting really better.”

“heh. that’s papyrus for you.” Sans winked, and Papyrus had to emotionally restrain his magic from filling his skull. “always knew you could do it.”

Oh, such sincerity…

“THANK YOU,” Papyrus replied bashfully, averting his gaze. Golly… he wanted to hide away his face. He knew he was making a strange expression. He just knew it! What kind of charisma did Sans have to incite such shyness from him? It was strangely very effective!

“And you need to stop napping on the job, Sans!” Undyne added.

Papyrus shook his head. He had no idea how Sans even managed to keep his sentry job. From what Undyne had said before, the only reason she had accepted in the first place was due to Sans gaining a perfect _passing_ score. In terms of fighting, Sans had ranked the lowest out of _all_ the monster sentries, and his grade was a single point from being kicked out of the job. Undyne had tried to make the passing score a single point higher, but Sans had still passed.

And still a single point from not being accepted. A single point that made a difference. It made him incredibly happy that he and Sans could work together.

“hey, undyne,” Sans said slowly, “what’s up with that look? did something happen?”

Papyrus looked back just in time to see Undyne grip her non-magic spear rather tightly.

“UGH! It’s more like something didn’t happen! Every single day I try to get the Judge to spar with me and they always escape. ALWAYS! None of my tactics work! The surprise attack today didn’t work – they just managed to step aside by chance and continue on! I couldn’t attack earlier because the new trainee was guarding the west garden! I’ve changed my strategy so many times! Nothing works!”

He felt the sweat on his skull gather in little beads. Was that why she had led Drunk Bun to Waterfall?! “UNDYNE, IS THAT WISE? MAYBE THE ROYAL JUDGE IS BUSY! THEY HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO DO, AFTER ALL. PERHAPS ASKING NICELY WOULD HELP?”

Undyne snorted, quite unbecoming of a captain. “I did! They said they didn’t want to spar with me!” She crossed her arms, the spear making a clanking noise on her armour. “I’ve never even seen them fight! Asgore said the Judge’s been there since before he was _born_ and that means the Judge is _more-than-a-millennia_ old! That means they fought at the Human War!”

‘ _Really?!_ ’ he inwardly screamed, unable to hide the widening of his sockets. “IMPRESSIVE!”

“must be in a hurry to get to wherever they were headed,” Sans commented softly, pocketing his hands. Papyrus blinked at the change of subject. His brother had just ignored what had to be the most intriguing news he had heard in weeks! Had he known about this? “if i had that many responsibilities, i’d probably fall asleep a lot.”

“THE ROYAL JUSGE IS A BUSY MONSTER!” Papyrus could not help but insist. Was he the only one who knew this? All people within the castle had busy lives, did they not? Sans knew this, too, because Papyrus had discussed his ideas with him! That must be why he was acting as though everything was ‘old news’! “THEY HAVE MANY DUTIES! I HAVE SEEN THEM ON SEPARATE LOCATIONS DOING JUDGE THINGS. FROM WHAT I SAW, MONSTERS EXPECT THEIR HELP!”

Undyne’s glower softened, and then she grinned brightly. “YEAH, THEY DO HELP A LOT OF MONSTERS! I’LL TRY NEXT TIME TO FIGHT WITH THEM! I’M NOT GIVING UP!”

His brother stepped closer beside him. “we’ll see you next time, undyne. pap and i are going to hang out today. going to take a vacation day from my schedule.”

Undyne’s face twisted, lip pouted to a side. “That’s another thing that confuses me,” she replied gruffly, straightening her slouched form. “YOU NAP AT YOUR JOB, BUT YOU NEVER TOOK A VACATION DAY! ARGHHH!!! I DON’T KNOW WHETHER I SHOULD BE IMPRESSED OR CONCERNED! YOU’VE SAVED UP MORE THAN A HUNDRED DAYS OF FREE TIME! I SWEAR TO ASGORE IF YOU SAVED THEM ONLY TO MAKE A JOKE, I’M GOING TO… TO… TO _DO_ SOMETHING!”

Papyrus’s jaw slackened in disbelief, and his brother just chuckled, as though he had done nothing truly noteworthy. _Truly_? His brother, _Sans_ , had saved up so many days of vacation?! Papyrus had barely used his own unless it was something that related to personal missions, but this… Sans had saved more than what he had expected! He needed to reconsider his notes on his brother’s daily habits. There was something decidedly _off_ about the number of the vacation days. It was… It was _mind-boggling_! It was uncharacteristic of Sans! Saving free time… for _what_?

He did not need to wait for long, as Sans’ lids lowered halfway, the one trait that denoted his confidence in whatever response would come from his teeth.

“there’s an easier answer for that,” Sans said, glancing at Papyrus and smiling sleepily at him. The look sent a flutter of nerves in his soul. He nearly took a step back at the intensity. Had his brother’s smile ever looked like _that_ before? Coupled by the half-lidded gaze, it felt much more _intimate_ … as though Sans was sharing something unsaid. “i save those days for extra hang-out time with pap. this is one of those days.”

It was as though Sans’ words sent love straight through his SOUL! Papyrus flushed heavily with magic, overwhelmed at such simple words.

“HAH! I didn’t know you were such a sappy big brother, Sans!” Undyne exclaimed with a teasing grin. Sans shrugged and appeared to be unapologetic. “That actually makes more sense than spending the day chugging down condiments for the whole day while reading up on the most horrible jokes you can find on the UnderNet!”

There was an expectant, horrified pause.

“well… now that you gave me the idea–”

Papyrus balked at the idea, and some of the magic on his skull disappeared. “SANS, THAT WOULD BE EXCEEDINGLY UNHEALTHY!”

“well, not if i mix it up with something, ri—”

A familiar, high-pitched ringtone suddenly interrupted their conversation, and Undyne let out an excited shout of, “I NEED TO GO NOW, BYE!” before she waved goodbye.

She ran back into her house and left a sizeable clump of moist soil on the grass from the force of her departure. The height measured up around Sans’ femur. It was really quite impressive.

“rude,” Sans huffed with mirth. He added, “must be an important call.”

“It must be.” Papyrus nodded in agreement. He had seen this happen so many times. Perhaps the King Asgore was recalling the Royal Guard for an assembly.

There was a peaceful moment of companionship between them, placed there by Undyne’s retreat for privacy. When it appeared that Sans would say nothing more, Papyrus cleared his non-existent throat before things became awkward.

“SO…” he began with loud confidence, “WHERE ARE WE HEADED TODAY?”

Sans merely offered him a smile. “we just need to walk a little more, pap.” And with that, Sans started walking, Papyrus following beside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, there's more history here than other chapters, I think. I'm not sure how people can read it without falling asleep. x'D
> 
> Packing Hiatus for a bit, but don't worry. I'm still writing notes and drafts even as I pack. Inspiration is never-ending, after all. There was a second part to this, and I had to cut the chapter into two because I felt like I needed to have this done so I can focus on the other half.
> 
> I'm not sure what fic to update next, but it will be there.
> 
> All mistakes mine. Any misspellings, misplaced words and cut-off sentences are mine. If there's any corrections you'd want me to notice, tell me! x'D


	12. The Puzzling Play of Magic Tag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was his brother’s turn to look embarrassed, and yet also contemplative. “yes. that. look, it’s… um… that feeling… it’s like…” Sans looked away for a moment, browridge furrowed with thought. “it’s like… hmm… well, i’m not sure. it felt… slowly… _warm_ … and… affectionate. a kiss, maybe?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweats* H-Happy... New Year?

Walking towards an unknown destination should have been a hint that they would be staying in Waterfall.

The location was another place in the bioluminescent town near a large… waterfall. He feels a little confused, though he supposed he had to have expected something like this by this point. His brother was someone who likes making plans close by the point of meeting. It was as though he was setting up an accessible routine.

‘ _Of course there would be a waterfall in Waterfall_ ,’ he thought, taking a quick and sneaky peek at Sans’ peaceful expression.

He had no idea what to expect. Was there something Sans wanted to show him? He hadn’t wanted to bother him with questions earlier, and even if he wanted to… well, it had been incredibly difficult to talk. As if he swallowed a handful of words and it wouldn’t come out because it grew complex inside him. He’d taken to casting his brother furtive glances, trying to see if Sans’ expression betrayed anything.

It only served to remind him how beautiful his brother’s bones looked under the mellow light of the echo flowers, highlighting his features extremely well. The magical flush on Papyrus’ face couldn’t be explained by Waterfall’s weather. Oh, no. It was a result of… being _appreciative_ of… Sans. That… That wasn’t a bad thing to do, right? Sans was his brother and he was _allowed_ to admire him. Allowed to… allowed to… l-love him.

He flushed and thanked the stars that Sans was focused elsewhere.

Papyrus gazed at the wondrously glowing trees as their steps took them closer to their destination. As beautiful as Waterfall appeared to be, the damp soil, the humidity, and the eerie noises of the clustered echo flowers spooked him. It didn’t seem like a nice place to hang-out. It was more of a place where one would take walks in their boots, something that they would surely clean once they reach home.

He had no idea how Sans’ slippers stayed unaffected by the mud. It defied every law of physics he recognized.

He glanced again at Sans. He looked happy. _Content_. Did he really want to spoil everything by complaining? His SOUL immediately protested at the idea. Even imagining it made his whole body feel paralyzed with horror.

He shuddered. ‘ _Stars, that would be…_ ’ No matter. If Sans wanted to hang out near a waterfall, then the Great Papyrus would hang out with him! And he would enjoy it!

Although… sequestered in an area that attracted ghosts gave him shivers.

As they walked around clusters of bioluminescent foliage, the tension in his shoulders loosened.

‘ _Oh. What…?_ ’

The sight of a strangely dry, and elevated, bed and blanket on the ground eased whatever worries he had. It was as though there was a tarp underneath the black material. (Oh stars, he hoped it wasn’t Sans’s mattress!) He should have thought Sans would find a way to make a place much more comfortable for them.

He only hoped the soil in this part was a little more dry than the rest of Waterfall.

“you’re probably wondering why it isn’t soaked,” Sans suddenly said, jolting him out of his qualms about the blanket. He looked at his brother with wide sockets, who wore a familiar grin of mischief. Was his brother a reader of minds, now?! “i found some clear tarp at the dump and had it cleaned, and then someone who owed me a favour and got me a good mattress from the capital. i got the blanket from muffet after i helped her spiders cross over a small stream.”

‘ _What?_ ’

“AND HOW MANY MONSTERS OWE YOU FAVOURS, EXACTLY?” he couldn’t help but ask, dryly. First it had been Mettaton, and now a random monster and Muffet?!

“better not to know.”

“OH?” Papyrus narrowed his sockets suspiciously at the familiar tone. _Oh_ , _no_. Sans’ mischievous grin never bode well for him!

“i stopped counting after five.”

He couldn’t stop the laughter escaping him. Oh, how _typical_! Of course Sans would be too lazy to count the monsters who owed him favours. Although… how exactly did Sans manage to gain that many favours?

“YOU LAZYBONES,” he murmured affectionately. “OF COURSE YOU WOULD.” He nearly froze at the way the words fell so naturally from his teeth. He shook his head, wiping away those thoughts. Now was not the time to… to think about his _feelings_!

“yeah, you know it…” Sans trailed off. Papyrus could only note the way he paused near the (upon a closer view) large bed on top of the clear tarp. His brother’s browridge were lowered with concern as he threw him a searching glance, pocketing his hands. “hey. you okay, pap?”

Papyrus’ soul thudded with a nervous beat, and he mustered up the willpower to smile. Was he _okay_? Well, besides the confusing desire to kiss Sans and the itching urge to hold his hand, he felt absolutely great! “Of course, Sans. I feel quite well! Why do you ask?” he asked more quietly.

“you’ve been quiet all the way here. it’s not like you.”

“THAT IS JUST THE GREAT PAPYRUS _ENJOYING_ THE SCENERY!” he sputtered out in response, unable to think of another excuse. He was talking about Sans, of course, but Sans did not know that.

“yeah?” It must have worked, because his brother’s browridge smoothed out, and his endearing smile returned. “that’s… refreshing.”

He truly did not know what his brother meant by that.

“I WASN’T SURE WHERE YOU WANTED TO TAKE US,” he also admitted after a second more of Sans’ soft gaze. “I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO GUESS.”

“did it work?”

“Did what work?”

Sans’ wink nearly made him stumble. “you, guessing the place.”

Papyrus blushed, and he looked down, mumbling a quiet but powerful, “ _NO_.”

The clear tarp near the tip of his dirty boots made him stop walking. Glowing, magic-encased flat stones of various shapes seemed to be underneath the tarp, and he knew it was to stop the tarp from sinking into the moist soil. It was a simple tactic to make sure everything stayed clean, one that Sans had mentioned to him in the past.

It had also been Sans’ lazy excuse not to change his clothes, the bonehead.

“just put your boots outside the tarp, pap.”

Nodding, Papyrus followed the simple instruction. He placed his boots away and tentatively placed his bony feet on the tarp. When it didn’t sink, he climbed up to the bed, where Sans was already shrugging off his jacket. The sight nearly sent him faltering, but he grabbed the edge of the mattress and propped his body up, unable to stop his gaze from running over Sans’ delicate neck and the peak of his smooth clavicle. Only when Sans grasped an extra blanket from nowhere did he drag his gaze back to Sans’ face, flustered.

Sans turned bodily and watched the waterfall, smiling much more serenely. He shrugged on the blanket over his shoulders, removing his gloves, and somehow his appearance became much more vulnerable. It made Papyrus’ hands fidget on the edges of his brother’s extra blanket. That look… it was… _something_.

(He had the urge to trace the little dips of his bones, and perhaps wonder at the difference of their texture.)

“THE FLOWERS HERE DON’T SPEAK AS MUCH.” He wanted to take back his words when Sans’ gaze returned to him, sockets half-lidded and smile musing. A floating light fluttered beside his brother’s temple and Papyrus’ SOUL soared in adoration.

Sans looked beautiful.

Oh stars, he was so boned.

“the plants here are cool,” his brother began, as if he had no idea just what feelings his presence burned inside Papyrus, “the flowers are farther away from each other so it doesn’t make that weird whispering static that makes the place feel haunted.”

That made it much worse, as now Papyrus was thinking of other known places that were said to be haunted. He huddled closer for companionship, throwing the spacious distance between the echo flowers a frown of suspicion. Instead of usual monster wishes, the flowers echoed the roaring water of the falls. The static barely had a chance to manifest, not when there was a continuous change of sound happening.

“What is the plan for today, then?” he asked, glancing briefly at the waterfall. A beat of a second passed as Sans scooted closer, and Papyrus suppressed a gasp as their arms touched through the blanket. “N-Not that I doubt your planning skills, of course, but I am quite curious.”

It was Sans’ turn to appear shy. Papyrus was grateful for the change. “i… um. i brought stuff that i thought you might like.” There was a shuffle of clothing as Sans turned to the side of the bed. He dragged a wooden box onto his lap. The endearingly shy expression on his face would make Papyrus swear to every deity that whatever he brought would be perfect. “it’s not much, but…”

Sans opened the box, and various puzzle-like items were revealed. Multi-coloured cubes nestled within the silken red walls, along with metallic rings and ropes, and some strange carvings of wood. There were other trinkets underneath, but a simple, sphere glass caught his attention. He reached out and grabbed it, admiring the smoothness. It was dark blue, but with the light reflecting over its surface, he saw what looked like a thousand stars shimmering under the surface.

“that’s a copper-cobalt oxide glass.”

It was beautiful. And as quick of a thought that brought him, the glass orb glaringly reminded him of Sans. He hastily placed it back and then grabbed the multi-coloured puzzle cube, one that shifted when he turned the lower tier of its nine-by-nine form, as if it had more cubes hidden inside more cubes.

“And this?”

“found that in the dump, not sure what they call that cube. i haven’t found a book about it yet.”

“What of this one? There is a second one just quite like it. Do they go together?”

“another wooden puzzle, pap,” Sans replied with a deep chuckle. “mostly anything inside that box, i haven’t found a name yet. i don’t know if it goes together or not. why don’t you try solving it?”

Papyrus was intrigued. These puzzles were untouched by his brother’s mind. Wowie! “How do you solve it?” He fiddled with one of the other metal puzzles, and then returned to his little wooden puzzle with the ring and rope.

“i think you need to untangle everything and get the ring off,” his brother answered after a short while of staring at the box with a blank expression. “i didn’t want to spoil the fun, so i figured i’d wait until we get the time to solve it together.”

Papyrus smiled at his brother for his sweet thoughtfulness.  Papyrus unknotted one of the ropes, but then managed to get a metal ring stuck between two of the wooden bars. He narrowed his sockets as Sans snickered beside him.

“let me try.” Sans grabbed another puzzle that was identical to his, and then managed to entangle the ropes even further after a few twists and pulls. Sans’ smile twitched into a frown as he turned the puzzle in his hands. “oh boy. this seems like a real challenge.”

Papyrus couldn’t stifle his laughter. “Sans, I don’t think that’s how you solve it.”

“whoever made this probably thought it would be funny to mess with people.”

“Or perhaps they were seeking a worthy opponent to challenge in solving this puzzle!” Papyrus exclaimed. He turned the puzzle in his hand, narrowing his sockets. “I’m sure there is a way to solve this!”

His brother flopped on his back beside him, chuckling. Papyrus resisted the urge to blush, knowing quite well it would be obvious if he did. The light was dim, but not so dark that it would cover him… not to mention his magic would glow brightly when he blushed.

“want to see who can solve it first?” his brother asked lazily, though Papyrus heard the mirthful challenge behind his words.  
  
Papyrus nodded without a verbal reply, and then he started his untangling of the puzzle. Sans, for his own puzzle, sloppily looped the ropes in a complicated fashion. Papyrus stole quick glances at him. It was quite distracting when his brother was lying down so… so pliantly, with the blanket parted just so, the smooth edges of his bones exposed to the brilliant glowing lights that fluttered in the air. His tank top had ridden up ever so slightly, with just the hint of his iliac crests peeking out of the fabric—

“papyrus?” His brother sounded odd.

Papyrus hastily averted his sockets in embarrassment. “ _AHEM!_ Y-yes?” Stars, what had he been doing?!

“i think you made it worse.”

Papyrus glanced at his puzzle and immediately groaned, palming the side of his face with dismay. He had been so distracted by Sans’ supine form that his puzzle had been reverted back to normal by complete accident!

“I was so close,” he lamented. The ring had been at the other side of his two bars, and few more moves could have released the ring! Now he had to start over.

“well… that’s fine and all, but…” Sans made a frustrated sound. Papyrus turned back to him and found, somehow, that he had tangled his ring in a double loop.

“Sans…” he choked, hands immediately grabbing Sans’ puzzle to keep it away from experiencing an even more horribly tangled existence. It looked worse than before! “Sans, what...? How did you manage this, Sans? We are supposed to remove the ring!”

His brother stared at him, wide-eyed. And then Sans burst out in laughter. “stars, pap, that expression on your face!”

“Sans, this is serious!” Papyrus insisted, horror swelling inside him as he tried to fix Sans’ mess. But he didn’t know how Sans even manage it, so his efforts were futile! It was useless! He couldn’t think of a way to unravel it at all! Oh, Sans… He desperately needed the Great Papyrus’ help!

“i don’t think your expression is serious, more to the area of utterly _terrified_.”

“Sans, this is a matter of Life and Death to a puzzler!” He pointed at the double loop of doom. “What you did here just made things ten times worse!”

Instead of taking him seriously, Sans continued snickering, as though he had no clue just what havoc he’d created! “come down here,” his brother replied, pointing to the bed. “help me fix it.”

Papyrus didn’t even think, flopping down next to his brother and handing him back the puzzle. After a short second, he realized he was so close to the person he wanted to kiss… Then the only worst thing that could have happened… just _happened_.

He blushed.

Sans turned out quite preoccupied by the puzzle. His brother didn’t notice his magic. At least, he hoped so… _Fervently_ hoped so!

Sans’ smile was warm. “so, tell me what you think i should do.”

Thankful for the distraction, he uttered his instructions quietly, fascinated by the jutting bone of his brother’s browridge and the weight of concentration in his expression. His brother’s hands were much smaller and more nimble than his were, and while he would be proud to say his hands were the most elegant between the two of them, Sans’ smaller ones were more… rough, but cute. Little scratches on the white surface may look out of place for a lazybones that worked at a sentry station or hotcat stand, but it was Sans’ hands, and somehow… Somehow, that made his hands very special.

“like this?” No, it still wasn’t untangled.

“What if we…” Papyrus reached out and manoeuvred his brother’s distal phalanges to hold onto a part of the rope while he coaxed the ring over the bar. His fingers trembled, but it was not an issue.

“oh, hey, we could…” His brother held a loop open and Papyrus followed his brother’s train of thought, easily unravelling the double loop that his brother had made. “and if we do it like this…”

Papyrus leaned down for a closer look. “Oh! Yes, that’s right. Here, try this instead…”

“we could move the rope over there, right?”

“If we move this… Now you can move it over.”

“hmm… what happens if we—”

“Sans, you’ll get it stuck again!”

“but… i _want_ to see what happens.”

Papyrus’ SOUL sputtered at the sight of his brother’s doleful gaze. “O-okay, but we’ll have to…”

To his horror, Sans managed to coax him several times into messing up their progress to ‘see what happened’ and Papyrus’ delightful _feelings_ caved in every single time just to make his brother laugh. Luckily, he also managed to urge Sans away from reverting their puzzle back to its previous state, and Sans allowed himself to be swayed to help him solve it.

They acquired the ring minutes later, perhaps more than enough time to solve it three times if Sans hadn’t been toying with him.

“whew,” Sans uttered with irony. “that was one tough workout.”

“You wanted to get it tangled,” Papyrus accused, sputtering when his brother threw him a sly smile to confirm it. “Sans!”

“i did want to see what it looked like,” Sans protested, though his mouth was twitching. So it was _evidently_ a prank!

“Sans, it just made the process of solving it slower.”

“what can i say? i love seeing your _pace_.” And then Sans _winked_.

_‘Oh gods, no, please don’t blush!’_

“That’s… THAT WAS A _HORRIBLE_ PUN!” he blurted, turning his head away to look at the glowing waterfall, hoping his face wasn’t visible. “PLEASE LEAVE ME HERE IN PEACE TO CONTEMPLATE WAYS TO GET RID OF YOU!”

“aw, c’mon, it wasn’t that bad!” And then Sans moved closer and _crawled and lied on top of him_ , grinning widely while the blanket slid off his shoulders, shifting to cover them both with the soft fabric. ‘ _OH STARS._ ’ Papyrus panicked inwardly as his magic seemingly _screamed_ at their proximity, his body stiff with surprise.

“No, it was!” he squeaked. Oh, his soul! His soul was erratically fluttering invisibly against his ribcage! “Bad. Very _bad_!” Why did Sans have to nestle himself on top of him?! Now his soul was acting…! So…! _Odd!_

Sans crossed his arms over Papyrus’ sternum, eyelights twinkling with lazy mischief and rounded jaw tucked comfortably into his makeshift pillow of bones. “we can time it and solve it again if you want.”

Papyrus released a dying sound of overwhelming distress as his thoughts derailed from the puzzle and instead to more kisses, to more touching, and to more things that he probably should not think of in this situation.

He gathered scattered pieces of his thoughts, hoping for the best. “But… But that would take forever…!” he replied in a high-pitched voice. Oh, but stars, Sans was… too close… He couldn’t well think like this! His mind was ablaze of thoughts that were not supposed to manifest in him, tempting him to plant skeleton kisses upon his brother’s brow and perhaps… maybe… No! No, no, not now. He needed to gather his feelings!

“it wouldn’t. i’d estimate maybe less than a minute, now that we know what to do.” Sans’ gaze turned to the side, where the sounds of the waterfall muffled the inner panic that Papyrus’ SOUL expressed. “it’s nice solving it with you, actually…” his brother said shyly, throwing him such a sweet, vulnerable uncertain expression, eyelights flickering all over his face as though expecting a comeback.

Oh… _Wowie_... Papyrus blushed as he twisted his fingers into the fabric below. His brother was being… being oddly… ah… affectionate today. And…

Was... was that a blush on his brother’s cheekbones or were the lights playing tricks on him? He was not sure. The Waterfall lights were more his brother’s colours than his own. Papyrus waited for his brother to say more, but he did not say anything else. Sans merely fully lowered his head into his arms and sighed sweetly against his sternum, seemingly having no plans to move away. He looked… he looked cute, staring at him with such a peaceful expression.

Deciding it would be strange for him to be unmoving, he moved. His arms had been set awkwardly at his sides, but he was slowly raising them hesitantly, watching Sans’ expression for discomfort. When Sans didn’t react to his slow movements but blink at him curiously, he settled for wrapping his arms around his brother’s ribs.

Sans released another soft sigh and melted against him, shifting closer.

Papyrus knew his face was fully flushed with magic by now. If Sans even caught sign of his weird infatuation, stars knew he would ask questions that Papyrus probably couldn’t answer. He hoped Sans wouldn’t notice… at least, not until he knew what he actually felt! For all he knew, kissing Sans would be very, completely and utterly platonic! Monsters kissed monsters all the time!

“you’re _really_ quiet today,” Sans whispered suddenly.

Papyrus panicked. “I WAS THINKING OF MAGIC!” he blurted reflexively. It was a usually effective response, but at this time, it earned him Sans’ dubiously raised browridge. Oh, dear, there was no context! Sans could know he was lying by just that! Papyrus was normally so clear and composed. Now he really had to back it up with something else! “THE DIMENSIONAL MAGIC!” he added, remembering that it was such a strange thing that some humans could affect.

“dimensional magic?”

Oh, no! Did he say the wrong thing!? But… But…! No! He must persist if he ever wanted Sans to be sufficiently distracted from his disgraceful oral fumbling! “Y-Yes?” he affirmed in a questionable tone.

Sans chuckled against him and the vibrations sent shivers down his spine. His eyelights so seemingly emanated affection, bringing forth more question in Papyrus’ head. He wondered idly if being further apart had made Sans more tactile. His brother was lighter than he was, and, oh, his hugs felt _fantastic_.

“W-What is it?” he asked, hoping Sans would elaborate his mysterious chuckling.

“hmm…” his brother… moaned? Hummed? Oh, dear stars, he didn’t quite know which it was, but whatever Sans did flustered him further to the point of inevitably becoming a speechless pile of bones! Sans trusted him enough to make those… those noises around him. W… Wowie. “i didn’t know you finished the other book so quickly. you’re on your way to the dimensional magic now?”

“I… I skimmed it?” He did read it, but the words now have escaped his skull.

Sans blinked at him, and then he laughed. “you’re so excited about those books, papyrus. it’s cute.”

 _‘He thinks I’m cute!’_ Papyrus couldn’t think of anything to say as his stuttered into a halt. ‘ _CUTE!_ ’

“how about i show you something about dimensional magic?”

‘ _Cute…_ ’

Wait! Papyrus struggled against his mental inhibition. Sans wanted to _show_ him magic. His brother ever rarely used his magic at all, let alone in public! He usually used it for his regular theatrics at home. To do so now…

“pap?”

“PLEASE!” Papyrus responded hastily.

Sans removed himself from Papyrus and Papyrus so dearly missed him already. He sat up, propping himself up with his arms behind him, watching as his brother dropped the blanket on the bed in a careless fashion. His brother did not bother to dress back into his jacket, or even wear his gloves again.

Stars, he looked cool. In… In a Sans way, of course, not a Papyrus way!

“c’mon. i’ll show you by the water.”

Papyrus scrambled after Sans as he started putting his slippers on.

He managed to be in his boots just as Sans gathered more flat rocks into another square of rock-carpet closer to the banks.

San led him closer to the waterfall, stopping by the edge of the pool. He gazed at the falls with something odd in his expression, and Papyrus couldn’t understand why he seemed… lost. He waited patiently for his brother to start.

“remember when you had your basic lessons on magic? how it’s supposed to feel natural to you as a white soul to use other magical traits? we needed to use different magical types but we couldn’t hold onto it for so long or else we would irrevocably change something inside us.”

He did remember those facts. It was something rudimentary. Every monster had schooling for magic at a young age. He nodded. “Yes. I remember.”

“now, remember the mages that locked us up. there was seven of them to represent the seven major traits of a SOUL. right now, we have six different SOULs that are similar to those seven. we only need one more.”

Papyrus thought of his years of schooling, of the reason why the Barrier couldn’t be broken. They needed a human SOUL in order to break it… just one more – specifically the red one – and they would all finally be free… There had been smaller footnotes at the end of the book that described having to collect the specific traits of the mages, but...

“Yes, but what of it?”

Sans glanced at him and smiled. “but nothing. i just wanted to give you something to think about.”

Papyrus’ smile twitched and his browridge furrowed. What…? “SANS!” he sputtered, realizing that Sans had just been trying for a dramatic start.

“kidding, kidding!” Sans raised both his hands as though to ward off a scolding. “just that, hey, the mages had to have a special power to lock us up, right? the books don’t mention something really important, though. the mages were soul masters of their own traits.”

Papyrus did a double-take at that. “WHAT?!”

If the mages had been soul masters, that would mean they had used complex magic to trap them underground. Going against that kind of magic would take an incredible amount of power, or at least something that matched it would destroy it. The only monster Papyrus knew to be the strongest was King Asgore, and perhaps the Royal Judge. Maybe even Undyne, though he doubted it.

“BUT THAT WOULD MAKE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND HUMANS!” he blurted. Were there not many humans on the surface? How did the King manage to find those SOULs?

“yep. that’s why we really need to find the same SOUL traits.”

“HOW?”

Sans didn’t speak up. Instead, his brother stepped closer by the water, his eyes glowing eerily similar with the shade of the water. Soon, with quick gestures of his hands, a solid block of ice emerged from the depths of the rippling water. It… It was the ice made from the water, glowing.

Papyrus’ jaw gaped open.

The ice descended next to them on the muddy grass, and he realized that it was greatly contained by Sans’ cyan magic and blue magic.

“that’s how you make ice with magic, papyrus,” Sans murmured lowly. Papyrus shivered at the tone before he kneeled onto one of the flat rocks that Sans had set on the ground.

“How did you make this?” he whispered, awed. Sans’ illuminated magic retreated from the block of ice, fading away. A tentative touch on the surface of the ice proved to him that it was cold, and it was completely solid. “This is quite eerie.”

His brother set his knees on the other flat rock, and Papyrus himself looking up and across as his brother traced the ice with his shorter phalanges.

“remember how i stopped the molecules that had too much potential energy that created heat?” Papyrus nodded, and his brother’s expression shifted into one of fondness. “well, this is just a much stronger version, i guess. _this_ is what happens if you stop all the molecules of water from moving – they bunch up together and form a solid mass. now, what would happen if someone has access to this kind of magic, and they use it for different dimensions… let’s say… fourth?”

“TIME?” Papyrus guessed. An expression flashed through Sans’ face, too fast for Papyrus to identify. “I… I SUPPOSE THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO SLOW DOWN TIME… AND MAKE IT STOP?” And if the human expanded further into other dimensions… Oh… That would be so dangerous.

Sans’ browridge lowered from their jovial structure. “yes, pap. and that’s why soul masters rarely take students that don’t pass the preliminary character tests. remember your history lessons? those seven human mages were able to lock us up, and – hear this – they trained under a soul master. imagine what kind of human magic that would give them, since their souls are much stronger than monsters. that _power_ made the barrier, paps, and that’s why it takes seven human SOULs to destroy it.”

They shared a moment of silence.

Papyrus was disturbed by the idea. If Asgore had picked ones that matched the SOUL traits of the human mages, then that meant there had been other humans that fell down. What happened to those humans? Did Asgore send them back to the Surface?

“WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TRAITS?” Papyrus asked instead.

“which one?”

“ORANGE!” he decided after a moment. After all, it was one of his stronger traits.

“well, i’d imagine you could speed up everything, seeing as orange encourages movement,” Sans offered with a grin. “move fast enough and you’ll set things on fire from all that friction, and depending on how much energy you put into it, you might even amplify any kind of power.”

“W-Wowie…” So if he trained his orange traits further, he could strengthen his other traits’ powers! What a cool shortcut to strengthening his magic!

Sans laughed and then gestured to the block of ice. “try it. melt it for me, papyrus.”

Papyrus blushed and held his hands together. “B-But I don’t know how,” he mumbled. He knew how it worked, theoretically, but… but… implementing it was a different matter. No pun intended.

Sans’ face both brightened and softened into a fond expression. “give me your hands,” he said. Papyrus’ sockets widened as Sans took his hands, gently stroking over the back of his carpals. It sent fluttering feelings into his SOUL and his magic reacted with an almost instantaneous blush on his cheekbones. “let’s start with the basic, okay? i’ll help you.”

“O… Okay.”

“you’ll want to start slow, because too fast and you might make the ice shatter instead.” Sans guided the tips of Papyrus’ phalanges to the ice’s surface. “i’ll put my magic back into the ice and i want you to follow and undo everything my magic does.”

True to his word, Sans engulfed the ice with magic, and Papyrus strained not to shudder when he felt the barest hint of love from the glow of power. He only hoped he lived up to his brother rather simple expectations. He wasn’t that well-versed yet with any powerful magic.

He slowly poured his magic into the ice, trying to concentrate, but failing as his magic slid almost sensually against Sans, the languid movement forcing his thoughts back into the path he was trying to avoid.

He hoped to the higher pillars of the stars that he didn’t look like a beacon of mortification. He glanced at Sans, trying to see if he’d caught onto his mistake and… and…

Sans… Well, Sans was looking at him with wide eyelights. He was also blushing so brightly, expression akin to a startled maiden that was kissed so suddenly without warning.

There were no bones about it. Sans definitely felt what his magic had done.

Papyrus hastily lowered his head and pulled back his magic, closing his sockets. “I – I don’t think this is working.” His voice was slightly high-pitched and tight, utterly embarrassed that his magic managed to inadvertently act indecently rude against Sans.

“i… i think you just need to be a little more slow,” Sans stammered, chuckling in what sounded like surprise. “but… hey, papyrus…”

“YES?” he squeaked, sockets tightly shut.

“papyrus, look at me.”

Papyrus didn’t want to raise his head, but he had to. The way Sans had said it was soft, coaxing, and undeniable. He couldn’t have stopped himself even if he had tried. He peeked at his brother. Sans was wearing such an amused, understanding expression. There was no denying that he found humour in their situation.

“i’ll guide you again until you get it right, okay?” Sans intertwined their fingers and Papyrus fought even harder to contain his feelings of delight and shyness, though he could not stop the tremor from his hands and the hopeful expression on his face. “and i… i… i don’t mind it when you… when…”

“W-when I… m-my magic… did that?” Papyrus hoped that was the case, because he wasn’t sure if he could even control his magic. At that first touch, oh, stars, he didn’t know if he could. At first he had wanted kisses, but now his magic wanted Sans’ magic for other types of kisses. It was _obscene_ — _indecent!_ He shouldn’t be thinking of things like this while he was holding hands with Sans!

It was his brother’s turn to look embarrassed, and yet also contemplative. “yes. that. look, it’s… um… that feeling… it’s like…” Sans looked away for a moment, browridge furrowed with thought. “it’s like… hmm… well, i’m not sure. it felt… slowly… _warm_ … and… affectionate. a kiss, maybe?”

Papyrus made a dying sound of mortification. Oh, stars, it was worse when Sans brought it up like this. It hadn’t felt like a kiss, more of Papyrus rubbing his sternum against his brother’s in a rather intimate fashion. A cuddle with a kiss, perhaps. “Sans, I—”

“no, no!” Sans interrupted him. He was looking at him now, eyelights bright and clear. “all i mean is… i don’t mind the magic kisses. you’re _papyrus_.”

Papyrus waited for a second before realizing that Sans wouldn’t continue. “I’m Papyrus,” he said slowly, trying to understand what exactly his brother meant by that. He couldn’t fathom what it meant, but perhaps he didn’t need to know. The warmth of Sans’ gaze was enough to lower his defenses. Maybe magic kisses were okay.

(Though Papyrus would describe it more extremely than a simple kiss. Oh stars, that silken magic was… it was intense.)

“it means you’re welcome to my magic,” his brother added, as though it was something so obvious, when it was so _obviously_ not.

“S-Sans…” Papyrus’ SOUL stammered, stopped, and then continued on, on the verge of bringing forth even more embarrassment than usual. Oh, stars, Sans was going to kill him with his sweetness, and it would be his fault that Papyrus would die an early death for a skeleton monster.

“and it means i know you can do this,” Sans gestured to their hands with a nod. “so… let’s try again.”

“O-okay…” he whispered shyly.

• • •

It took Papyrus many more mortifyingly sensual magical kisses to finally melt the ice, and by then Sans looked like one of the Waterfall lights that floated around. No doubt he was the same, though a much more warmer colour. His brother had felt… _stunned_ at each stroke of magic and after a third time it happened there was no more reason it could be called a kiss—it was akin to magic being intimate with each other, and with the opposing qualities of their magic, the connection was more _vividly_ intimate.

When they got home, Papyrus took his retreat with quick, graceful steps and a ducked head, hoping to bury himself alive in his bed before nightfall.

• • •

On the other side of the wall, Sans hid his bright skull into his hands, SOUL pulsing rapidly.

The magic kisses weren’t magic kisses at all. He didn’t have the heart to tell Papyrus that it was something closer to monsters grooming each other, seeing as his brother had been embarrassed enough.

Despite all his assurances, he failed to focus solely on guiding Papyrus. He hadn’t expected his own lack of control, or the way Papyrus’ magic had called out for him to _play_ , to _move_ , to _touch_ — _please, please, please_ —it had been indescribable. He was helpless to the call, resorting to playfully teasing his brother’s magic into chasing him, using the ice as a nice little playground where their magic met and bloomed. A game of tag through magic ice was something he hadn’t thought of before, but he should probably consider it—

Oh stars, what was he doing? He was supposed to be teaching his brother magic, not playing around!

“oh stars,” he muffled into his hands, “i’m dying.” Dying from embarrassment. How old was he again? He was supposed to act more mature, but he really didn’t feel it when Papyrus was by his side. He supposed he could blame their bond, but he was equally at fault.

Still, Papyrus had teased him first, and wasn’t that a curious thing?

He shook his head and padded over to his bed, crawling under the sheets. He hoped Papyrus was feeling better… It didn’t sit well with him to leave his brother stewing in guilt. He should know that Sans would readily forgive him.

• • •

 

Deep within the Underground, a glass sphere cracked under the pressure of magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooohhhhh, that sounds ominous.
> 
> Thank you so much to the people who have been patiently and impatiently following this thing. There are many words to say to you: good luck, have fun, don't die and please have a fun year full of roller-coaster hurt/comfort fontcest fics.

**Author's Note:**

> [progress](https://ibeta.tumblr.com/progress)  
>  ibeta's tumblr:[ ibeta.tumblr.com/](https://ibeta.tumblr.com/)


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